by Linda Straker
- Evan Smith unknowingly hit a dog and was physically assaulted by animal’s owner and family
- Police informed Smith that matter needs to be pursued civilly or privately
- Family believed to be investors in a business at one of the island’s marinas
- Some protesters called for immediate justice
Hundreds of Grenadians braved Saturday afternoon’s inclement weather to protest for immediate justice for a Grenadian man who suffered physical injuries following an altercation with a family in the upscale residential neighbourhood of Fort Jeudy, over the accidental killing of a dog.
Evan Smith, who was dropping off construction workers on Thursday, 25 June 2020 unknowingly hit a dog with his vehicle. The animal succumbed to its injuries. Owner of the dog, a Caucasian businessman, approached Smith and informed him of the dog and at the same requested Smith not leave the scene.
An altercation followed in which 4 members of the family who owned the dog physically assaulted Smith in the presence of witnesses. The police were called to the scene, and Smith’s family claimed that despite receiving a medical form from the police at the scene of the crime, they were informed that the matter needs to be pursued civilly or privately, and not criminally.
The news which aired on two main television stations’ Friday evening newscasts, immediately became the topic of discussion and was referred to as white foreigners having rights and privileges not afforded to nationals. The dog owner’s family name has not yet been made public by the police, but they are believed to be investors in a business at one of the island’s marinas.
Saturday’s protest was mobilised using social media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp. After the news started spreading about the protest, a statement from the Community Relations Department of the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) called for calm.
“Acting Commissioner of Police, Edvin Martin, has ordered an investigation into an alleged altercation that occurred at Fort Jeudy, St George. Progress on the status of the matter will be made public in an upcoming Press Brief scheduled for Monday, 29 June 2020.” The release said, “While the police recognises the people’s right to assemble, the Royal Grenada Police Force is appealing to the general public to be calm as investigation continues in the matter.”
It is normal for the police to provide anyone who has been in an altercation and needs to seek medical attention, a special form to be signed by a doctor which will state the nature of the injury. The nature of the injury will determine the type of charge to be laid on the accused.
While some protesters adorned themselves with placards demanding justice for Mr Smith, the peaceful protest had others calling for immediate justice. “We want justice and we want it now,” they chanted as they walked to the scene of the crime.
In Grenada, Section 12 of the Dogs Registration and Control Act says that an owner or person in charge of a dog must not:
(a) Permit that dog to be –
(i) in any public place unless it is kept under proper control;
(ii) in or on any premises without the consent of the owner or occupier of those premises; or
(b) Permit that dog to enter, bring the dog into or allow the dog to remain in, any restaurant or any place where food is sold for public consumption, other than a guide dog for the blind.
(2) Where a dog defecates on a beach or in a public place the person in charge of the dog must forthwith remove the faeces and dispose of it, enclosed in plastic or paper or other suitable material, in a container intended for waste material.
(3) A person who fails without reasonable excuse to comply with this section commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $1,000.
We have recently booked a long holiday for our young family in Grenada. And now we do not want to go. We want a refund..
We do not feel safe in Grenada anymore. We do not feel like or wanted there. There is so much hatred in Grenada towards Caucasians and we did not realise this when we booked our holiday.
If these people, was in the US, UK an they assaulted an individual they would be arrested.
M.Teresa to say Grenada have no care or respect for animals: you see any dogs roaming the streets? Dogs are for the outside as in days of old, as guard dogs!! and that has never changed dogs are not for inside of the house.
Furthermore if Grenada as you say hate white settlers, then these settlers would not be there, as the savages you want to portrayed would just like your ancestors would lynched them from a tree – chose your words carefully.
The man is clearly traumatised, yet hese people
know full well what they did was wrong!!!! For damn dog who decide to run into the vehicle – so the driver is to blame what is clearly an accident.
Finally M. Thersea if the protesters was so fully of hate, they would show the same treatment to those savages given to Evan Smith and damage the marina, so the marina would not make any money – No Justice, no Peace.
I hope Evan gets the support he needs this has affected his mental health. God bless Evan Smith the London /UK is behind you.
Yvonne.
You are a Grenadian local, you can tell by your ignorant attitude toward dogs for one..
Well, now they have on sight witnesses proving that Evan Smith and his wife and liars and have been threatening the family.
But now we all know how you all really feel about us and the lies you will tell and how you will ruin people for a bit of compensation.
Yvonne.
You are only confirming that Grenadians have no respect for dogs and that you all hate Caucasians.
You are Grenadian, you can 100% tell from your comments and you do not have the skill to hide it. You are not skilled enough to write like a English person.
Yvonne.
The whole problem is not only that you are wrong but that you dont even realiae how wrong you are.
Dogs are not just for chaining up and guarding (beating, killing, breeding, selling, drowning, stoning…).
In western countries they are regarded as family pets. And it is against western laws to chain them, keep them outside or to mistreat them.
Bless Grenada’s Stray Dog Community – for they are of all creeds and colours and just look at how well they get on!!
Everything matters. Humans, animals, plants and trees, oceans, deserts, forests and fields and the universe unknown xx
I seen a black dog fighting with a white dog yesterday. A copper kicked the black one, the white one scarpered.
This is disgusting beyond. If it was two local fighting the police would have beat and arrest them but all of sudden the police become lawyers and offered legal advice.
We must remove Royal from the Grenada police force.
I am a caucasian law clerk in Canada and I’ve been working in a law office for over 10 years. And in my whole 10 years, I have never, ever heard about someone being brutally assaulted in their own country by a foreigner and the authority not do anything about it. Why should this type of assault be taken out privately? Aren’t the Grenadian police suppose to serve and protect? Especially their own people? Come on, bring justice for Smith!!! Deport the foreighers and band them from Grenada… Grenada is a peaceful country that don’t need this type of behavior… BLACK LIVES MATTER!!!
You are pretending. A real Canadian would have respect for animals and if you were in a profession job you would write better!! You are a Grenadian.
A white man was driving his white employees to their construction work in Grenada. A dog was running along the side of the vehicle and the passengers warned the driver. The white man driver carelessly ran over the pet dog and carried on driving regardless.
The dog owner was black. He saw that his dog had been run over and was dead and he was very upset. He stopped the white man driver and asked him to wait while he called the police. The white man refused and attempted to carry on driving regardless.
The black man dog owner got angry and hit the white man and split his lip.
How does this story make everyone feel. Ask yourself many questions? And ask yourself what are the real issues here…….?
A careless driver runs over and kills the pet dog of a careless dog owner. And they argue.
The people involved were of different origin and so it prompts a wider argument based on ignorance and bigotry.
Meanwhile the stray dogs all about the area continue to live in peace regardless of their colour..
How does this comment even relate to anything? You forgot to mention that the dog was legally required to be leashed on a public road, and the dog’s owner is thus legally responsible for the dog being a hazard to traffic, an accident risk, and a risk to the lives of the other users of the road. Whatever point you’re trying to defend amounts to complete, and utter nonsense.
You are brainwashed. You all called it mental slavery but you are all in mental slavery. Evan Smith and his wife have been proven liars by on sight witnesses.
There will never be peace in the world until everyone sees the errors in themselves:
Grenadians have alot of hate towards white settlers.
Grenadians have no care or respect for dogs.
White settlers, we hope should have a regard for history and I hope that they do.
Everybody should have full knowledge of all history.
Human beings have been treated very badly in history. All over the world, in history.
But we are modern people. We are all the same. We all hurt and we all bleed. We are not our history. We are civilised and we are intelligent. So why are we still hurting each other and being cruel to animals? One day this will all stop. There will be no black and no white conflict and no human and animal conflict. We will be a truly peaceful people. And we will look upon ourselves at this time in history as still savages.
First of all, if the cared so much for their dog, they wouldn’t have it running wild in the street chasing behind cars. These people need to be arrested and charged with assault. How in the world can Grenada tolerate something like this to happen to one of their nationals and not take action.
Whites have the rights, even in Grenada. Shame on Grenada house nigger policemen.
If these people, was in the US, UK an they assaulted an individual they would be arrested.
M.Teresa to say Grenada have no care or respect for animals: you see any dogs roaming the streets? Dogs are for the outside as in days of old, as guard dogs!! and that has never changed dogs are not for inside of the house.
Furthermore if Grenada as you say hate white settlers, then these settlers would not be there, as the savages you want to portrayed would just like your ancestors would lynched them from a tree – chose your words carefully.
The man is clearly traumatised, yet hese people
know full well what they did was wrong!!!! For damn dog who decide to run into the vehicle – so the driver is to blame what is clearly an accident.
Finally M. Thersea if the protesters was so fully of hate, they would show the same treatment to those savages given to Evan Smith and damage the marina, so the marina would not make any money – No Justice, no Peace.
I hope Evan gets the support he needs this has affected his mental health. God bless Evan Smith the London /UK is behind you.
Yvonne.
You are a Grenadian full of hatred for Caucasians and full of hatred for dogs.
But even dogs write and explain an argument better than you.
This only shows that a dog’s life is more important than a human life. While we are peace loving people this should not be tolerated from foreigners coming to Grenada and taking someone’s life for a dog. People stand up for your right too long we been oppressed.
What a ridiculous over-exageration!! Nobodys life was taken for a dog. This sort of confusion starts wars!!
This is ridiculous…. simply ridiculous.
Mr Smith was assaulted.
He needed hospital treatment
Police took NO ACTION because assailants were protected by investment status.
The family should be charged for causing GREVIOUS BODILY HARM (GBH)
Mr Smith should also be entitled to compensation.
If no agreement could be reached; deport the family. Take their goddamn money and go!
Finally, get rid of the citizenship by investment scheme.
Prime Minister
take note and protect your OWN people.
They now have witnesses from the event. Evan Smith and his wife are liars. They have threatened the family. They are just lying and pretending to be hurt to receive compensation. But they have been found out and they will get no money now.