The President of Rights Bahamas, Stephanie St Fleur  said  she is  saddened “ to see the state of our country and how the powerful continue to attempt to oppress our people. In all my years of demonstrating as a labour organiser, I have never, ever seen permit granted that limited protestors to the sidewalk. Apparently, under the Minnis Administration, the streets no longer belong to the people.”
She said “thankfully, the police did not enforce this dictatorial stipulation; nevertheless, the public deserves an explanation of how it came to be in the first place, and Rights Bahamas demands an answer.
“While the ‘Enough’ Marchers were permitted to walk in the streets, today was also the first time in my life that I have seen police squad cars escorting a march so closely, directing and restricting its movement and the course it followed.
“It was also extremely disappointing to witness the authorities’ shameful attempt to barricade Rawson Square in order to keep the marchers out,” she said.
“What a far cry from the spirit of the  ‘We March’ demonstration a few years ago, when Bahamians took over the streets of Downtown Nassau, with senior FNM leaders among them. At the time, then Opposition Leader Hubert Minnis told the press in Rawson Square: “The people have finally arrived at their square, this is the square of liberty and the people have a right to march in Rawson Square. The people march for freedom, they march for freedom of expression, they march for a future, and they want to be heard. It’s the people’s time.” How quickly times have changed.
“The authorities would do well to remember that the Bahamas Constitution grants each and every one of us the right to peaceful assembly. The police do not have the authority to curtail or restrict that right and Rights Bahamas will not hesitate to take the matter before the courts if this worrying trend continues,” said Ms. St. Fleur.

She said, “Our government is now on the UN Human Rights Council; as such, it should also remember that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights grants all people the right to freedom of assembly, expression, thought and movement.

“This FNM government must learn to respect people’s fundamental rights, or else they will go the way of their predecessors. Enough is enough,” said the Rights Bahamas leader.