DANCEHALL WEEK ORGANIZERS INCENSED BY POLICE DOUBLE STANDARD

Kingston, Jamaica – The committee for Dancehall Week 2025 is extremely disappointed with how the Jamaica Constabulary Force treated the authorization and subsequent parade permit requested for the second annual Dancehall street parade in Kingston Jamaica this past Sunday March 2.

After months of planning and communication being circulated worldwide regarding the Dancehall Week street parade route, start time of 5:00 pm and an end time of 8:00 pm; last week’s consultation with a team of officers led by SSP Michael Bailey, from the Strategic Planning Division, cited laws in Jamaica prohibiting marches outside of 6am to 6pm. The police then insisted that the Dancehall Street parade must take place within the stipulated hours or face prosecution.

“WE brought a few things to their attention when they told us we had to change the time for our street parade after our entire advertising campaign had not only started but was in its final phase. One, we had consulted with the police to suggest the actual start time when we requested a night parade late last year. Secondly, we told them that a carnival event had held their road march after the 6am-6pm time period on numerous occasions, which SSP Bailey vehemently denied,” Dave Goldson, CEO of Dancehall Week Limited shared.

According to Section 3(2) of the Public Order Act, no public procession or march shall take place on any public road or in any public place outside the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., except with the permission of the Commissioner of Police.

Conceding that the law does exist, the organizers of the Dancehall Week street parade are claiming classism as the reason their parade was bound by the existing law whilst carnival events are exempt from the same law, this belief is even more fueled with the announcement of a carnival road march being promoted for April 25, 2025 starting at 3:00 am and confirming that the same event had a night march on April 6 of last year.

The Dancehall Street Parade, with trucks hosted by HITZ FM, SUN CITY RADIO, DOUBLE 7 ENERGY DRINK, CLEARSOUND, STR8 VYBZ and IRIE FM, was eventually staged, in a rushed manner, starting from Ranny Williams Entertainment Center, one hour before the advertised start of 5:00 pm and departing the Half Way Tree point at 6:00 pm, which was 90 minutes earlier than planned. This sudden change in time resulted in several persons arriving at 5:00 pm to miss the parade.

“We are trying to make Dancehall run professionally and therefore had these conversations long before any public advertising had started. Ultimately this feels like sabotage of our own culture by the police who should be there to help support our own. We need answers from the highest level as our event for the last two years have been completely incident and violence free,” Dave added

For more details on Dancehall Week visit their website at www.dancehallweek.com.

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