The famous Street Dance Battle organised on Wednesday and Thursday in Batterie-Cassée, Sainte-Croix and which have occupied the social networks since. The 5 young people considered as organisers of this illegal event and illegal betting will appear before the court on Monday 17. They are supported by Me Rama Valayden who publicly deplores a lack of tolerance for some and a ‘double standard’ law.
Poire, Limon, Gros Ritchie, and two well-known dancers/challengers from the area were arrested by officers of the Abercrombie Police Station on Thursday 13 January under the provisional charge of Breach of Quarantine Act and then released on parole the same day. They broke the Health Department’s Health Restriction Act by holding a Dance Battle on a basketball court and the event attracted over 250 people on Thursday. They maintain in their respective statements that they did not organise an event as such, that it was only a battle between friends and that it was spread over two days and that the crowd invited itself. They also claim that they did not make any illegal bets and that their aim was not to defy the law.
These five young people have the support of Bruneau Laurette and Me Rama Valayden. The latter questioned whether the state would prevent outdoor sports activities and whether or not masks should be worn? He denounced that this decision is grotesque and that the law is a ‘double standard’, mentioning that there is a show of tolerance towards parties in hotels, parties organised by very rich people and parties in which very important personalities such as ministers participate. He also raised the question: When classes resume in the classroom, will students be allowed to play outdoor sports at school?
The 5 youths will appear in court tomorrow, Monday, January 17, for their provisional indictment on a Breach of Quarantine Act charge.
Breach of Quarantine Act: an intolerable offence!
The police are no longer playing with offences that fall under the Quarantine Act. According to a press release from the Police on Sunday 16 January. 249 people have been fined for not wearing a mask in the last 24 hours. The fixed penalty is Rs 2000 payable within 28 days.
