Home News Local news Marchers Protest a Variety of Issues on St. John

Marchers Protest a Variety of Issues on St. John

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Nov. 25, 2005 – With a police car in front and two at the tail end, about 18 people marched through Cruz Bay's streets Friday waving placards carrying a variety of messages.
The marchers started out in front of the post office, heading along the waterfront and Wharfside Village.
The shouting appeared particularly loud in front of Wharfside Village as Anetha Barton yelled,"What do you want?"
"Justice" was the response.
What justice they were seeking seemed to vary depending on who was speaking.
"It's time to pay attention to what's happening," retired school teacher Oswin Sewer said, holding a picket sign that said, "Don't Box Me In."
Sewer said he was upset that a new two-story building adjacent to the Cruz Bay ferry dock was allowed to go up although it did not have sufficient parking spaces.
"And they still gave them a permit," he said.
He acknowledged that it was unlikely anyone who could do anything about the situation was on hand for the march, but he said he and others planned to attend a Tuesday town meeting at the Westin Resort and Villas called by Sen. Craig Barshinger.
Barshinger promised to have Planning Commissioner Dean Plaskett on hand to answer questions.
St. Croix resident Gonzalo Rivera said he is upset that the alleged rape of Esther Frett has not been solved while police named a suspect in the Oct. 29 murder of David Geiger.
"A rape against a black woman is not to be tolerated," he said.
Rivera said when the leaders of the group that held the Wednesday shop-in at Starfish Market asked for information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, they were told by the FBI that it can't comment on ongoing investigations.
Rivera helped to organize the Wednesday shop-in at Starfish Market that had people buying bottled water and paying for it with pennies, as well as earlier sit-ins at Cruz Bay restaurants. Another leader, St. Croix resident Mario Moorhead, was around when the marchers gathered in Cruz Bay Park, but did not join them for the march.
After passing Wharfside Village, the marchers turned left at the Thou Shalt Stop sign by Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, marched past Lemon Tree Mall, turned right at First Bank, continued up to Boulon Center, where they turned left toward the Creek. They then repeated the route.
A few people came out of shops to see what was going on, but most people ignored them despite the fact that the town was busy with tourists and residents out for the evening.
Shannon Morris of Cape Coral, Fla. and her family did stop near Lemon Tree Mall to see what was going on. She said she asked several people at Wednesday's shop-in at Starfish Market what their issues were, but said none could tell her. Morris said that the march Friday did give her cause for concern.
"You never know what's going to happen. It can be scary," she said.

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