Police officers arrested several demonstrators who blocked a section of Luis Muñoz Rivera avenue, in the golden milein Hato Rey, as part of a demonstration once morest the Fiscal Supervision Board.
The protest took place near the Seaborne Plaza building, for the sixth anniversary of the Board. The demonstrators placed tires in the six lanes of the avenue and unfurled banners.
In a press release published on social networks, the organization “Jornada Se Caboron las Promesas” expressed that the demonstration sought to expose the problems with the electricity service of the LUMA Energy company as a consequence of the impositions of the Board.
“We hold the governor of Puerto Rico, the Dictatorial Fiscal Control Board, the Energy Bureau and the US government responsible for the energy crisis that the island is going through,” said Joselyn Velázquez, spokesperson for the collective in written statements.
Police agents began to arrive in the area at around 7:00 am In a police report, they recommended caution to drivers in the area, since the protest affects vehicular flow in the area.
Shortly following 8:00 am, Sergeant Johnny Figueroa stated through a megaphone that the Police were “issuing a public safety order for them to disperse” and leave the area.
“If they ignore it, they can be arrested or subject to other police actions, which we want to avoid. Other police action might include the use of chemical agents or less lethal ammunition if they remain in the area that has just been described (Muñoz Rivera avenue)”, he warned, alluding to the fact that the protesters were violating Traffic Law 22 by blocking the section .
The demonstrators for their part, expressed that the traffic flowed without problems until the arrival of the agents.
Shortly before 9:00 am, agents from the shock force proceeded to arrest approximately a dozen protesters who decided to sit in the middle of the avenue, despite warnings from the Police.
The official commander of the San Juan area, Luis M. Santos Noriega, justified the intervention under Transit Law 22.
“They were informed that they were being given time but that they might not cross the avenue and obstruct traffic. On several occasions they were told that we might allow them at least one lane for them to express themselves, but at all times they were negative, that they had a purpose and wanted to carry it out, and that they would be here until they decided ” , he said in an aside with the press following the arrests.
Although he might not specify a figure, he indicated that they arrested between 10 and 12 people.
This medium observed that two of those arrested were the activist Alberto de Jesús Mercado, known as Tito Kayak, and the teacher leader Eva Ayala.
“They stole our retirement, they privatize our schools, our children’s education is going through the roof, they have millions to straighten out that country but not the will,” Ayala denounced following being arrested by agents of the shock force.
Santos Noriega, for his part, reported that the arrested persons were mobilized to the Hato Rey Oeste barracks for the prosecution to evaluate a possible filing of charges.