Show turns ugly as Police, security guards clash with trouble-makers in the Solomon Islands

Julian Marley. Photo: Solomon Star

POLICE and security guards clashed with youths trying to break into the Panatina showground to watch Julian Marley yesterday.

Marly, son of reggae legend Bob Marley, continue performing despite the disturbances, which show the exchange of stone throwing between thugs and security guards.

Thugs, mostly youths, started knocking the wooden perimetres of the showground from the eastern side near the Solomon Islands Football Federation Academy.

When security guards and police officers confronted them, they started throwing stones at them.

The National Referral Hospital last night said they attended to 16 casualties – 11 police and security guards, three suspects, and two spectators.

They were treated and released.

Police also made a number of arrests.

The disturbances continued almost during the entire show but Julian Marley continued to perform.

Two police officers sustained severe injuries on their heads and were rushed to the national referral hospital for medical attention.

The Police Response Team was deployed on the eastern side of the showground and managed to drive the thugs back further beyond the King George Sixth field.

Tear gas were fired and with the help of security officers, the trouble-makers were pushed further back to the Burns Creek and Lungga areas.

The standoff continued into the night and police last night set up a roadblock in the Burns Creek area to prevent the thugs from causing further damages.

Although they set alight a building within the SIFF academy, police were quick to put the blaze off.

Solomon Star