As news and pictures from last night's scene at Trafalgar Square in New Kingston, the same square that was in the news earlier this year and before where homeless msms gather at nights and where a taxi driver had rescued some cross dressers over a year ago. Above see the remnants of a cross dressers outfit left on the scene Reports from key influentials in and associated with the group suggest that threats have been issued by men in and around New Kingston and from a particular popular supermarket staff who have clashed with some of the homeless populations before by throwing stones and other debris at them while passing and verbally assaulting them.
Trafalgar square on a sunny day
Other more serious threats have been issued based on the grapevine where it is said that a kind of fatwa has been declared that one of the homeless men especially the cross dressers must be eliminated by December of this year, repetitive insults have been issued and were said to be on the increase. On my sister blog Gay Jamaica Watch only a few days ago I posted problems with the homeless msms in downtown Kingston and other issues to do with poor frontline advocacy from our representatives.
Last night's episode was said to have commenced around 8pm where the friends had gathered at a particular regular spot, which I have also been to before, they were said to have been pounced upon by passers-by and argument ensued following a brawl followed, police were summoned and unfortunately the queens and their friends were taken to the Half Way Tree police where they have been on holding since last evening, the group tried to explain their situation to the cops but their attempts failed and they were rounded up after things became tense at the spot.
Almost fifteen minutes before the creation of this post I managed to have spoken to one of the men through an influential who informed me that the other three men were already processed but were still held and he was waiting his turn. I deduced from the brief exchange that apparently their more masculine aesthetic/presentation has led to an issue of profiling by the cops as they were deemed suspects in a series of robberies in the New Kingston and Half Way Tree areas recently. Police have been known to frequently stereotype and profile men who supposedly fit a certain gangster description linked to criminal activity generally. Thankfully this one never turned out worse, we wait to see if they will be released.
This matter of a lack of interest by our advocates towards this languishing population glaring yet again, as we see however they couldn't care less about this population and almost echo sentiments that come very more contemptuous sections of the LGBT community that they are hopeless and cannot or do not need help. Happenings on the international stage, public relations smooth overs and ceremony are far more important than dealing with lives interrupted when they know fully well that they have access to the cogs of HIV and LBGT advocacy funding which can go a far way in helping to assist these sometimes aimless, low self esteemed, displaced or homeless men. The repealing of the buggery law is inextricably linked to this issue whether we want to believe it or not.
also see the hypocrisy on homelessness in the MSM community
The dark side to the homeless issue ..............
and
Doing 'business' in New Kingston ... Jamaica Observer on MSM Homelessness ..... JFLAG should be ashamed
MEN RUSHED AND BEATEN IN NEW KINGSTON
SHOTS FIRED AT HOMELESS GAYS IN KINGSTON, HOMELESS SITUATION SPIRALING OUT OF CONTROL
MSMS RESCUED BY TAXI DRIVER
HOMELESS MSMS HARRASSED ON STREETS BY POLICE
this was the spot across from the park that this CVM TV report was made earlier this year
The rest of us feel almost helpless and angered in a sense as our little private informal crisis interventions cannot dent the problems associated with this issue as it requires far more professional help and psycho social work, some of the men have been assisted by concerned influentials who have literally housed them in their home but the sash as shown struned on the ground in the pic above was owned by one of the Miss World LGBT 2011 contestants who in my view had no business on the streets with that article of the event.
Also on November 14, 2011 I also posted recent concerns and issues with other displaced men on sister blog Gay Jamaica Watch:
Homelessness/Displacement problems again .........
Homelessness/Displacement problems again .........
Only two days ago November 16 we had International Day of Tolerance where I raised my continued concern for this population:
where I raised my continued concern for this population:
Peace and tolerance
H
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