A resident of Standpipe in St Andrew holds up a placard during a protest on Old Hope Road yesterday. - Photo by David Henry

Residents of Standpipe, St Andrew, had a successful meeting yesterday with Senior Superintentendent of Police (SSP) Derrick Knight, head of the St Andrew Central Police Division, following a protest earlier in the day by placard-bearing persons.

They were enquiring about the reasons for a curfew which has been imposed in the area.

"We resolve it inno because Mr Knight came.We wanted a meeting with him because the community has been locking done since last week at 9 p.m. and the police wouldn't give us any information as to why it has been happening," a resident said.

He continued, " During the protest this(yesterday) morning, some people got through to him and he came at 12, and he had a meeting with us that was good," the satisfied male resident added.

Between 7 and 12 noon yesterday, a number of residents were observed displaying placards at 139 Lane across from the United States Embassy as they sought audience with SSP Knight to discuss, among other things, what they described as an unwarranted curfew which is stifling their livelihood.

SSP Knight explained to THE STAR that the curfew was imposed as a precautionary measure as the police received intelligence suggesting that the community would be attacked in a reprisal for a murder last year.

" The curfew is because of a man who was killed last year named Ruffus.The intelligence is saying that men aligned to him will be committing acts of violence against the relatives of the suspect, who is still on the run, and the curfew was put in against that background," the top cop said.

Additionally, "persons are expected to be off the streets by 9 p.m. because the intelligence is saying that murders and shootings and arsons will take place anywhere between 10 p.m. and 5 in the morning. Against that background, the police put in such measures to deal with the issue," Knight said.

The curfew will remain in place until Monday.

- S.W.