(CMR) Dozens of demonstrators protested for several hours at Heroes Square across from the House of Parliament Friday afternoon. Protestors included a wide cross-section of individuals including men and women in the community.
Most MPs remained shuttered inside Parliament.
Although Parliament was in session few MPs ventured out to speak or be seen by the protestors. In the end, only three dared to come and publicly speak to the group who were challenging the elected members to hold the Speaker of Parliament accountable for a February 2020 assault.
The protests came a week after Bush pleaded guilty to multiple counts of common assault and a single charge of disorderly conduct after a drunken tirade that resulted in a bar manager being choked, punched and having her hair pulled by Bush. She sustained injuries to her neck, arm and leg as a result.
Bush had initially issued a written apology days after the incident but also pleaded not guilty when the court proceedings began. On December 3 he changed his plea just days before his trial was set to begin.
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The first representative to come out to speak to the crowd was Northside MP, Ezzard Miller. Miller shared that he had done everything in his power to have the other members of Parliament to at the very minimum remove Bush as the speaker. However, he was unsuccessful in that regard as MP for George Town South and acting speaker at the time, Barbara Conolly refused to accept the motion.
Eventually, Chris Saunders also come out and addressed the crowd sharing that as a father, brother and son he also stood firmly with them in their desire to hold all members accountable for their actions.
MP Kenneth Bryan also spoke to the crowd stating that he would take his public position once the court process was completed. When pressed by protestors about why that was necessary after he had admitted guilt and there was CCTV footage played in open court he still remained firm that he needed to wait.
Several of Bush's protestors also drove accused CMR of being “the instigator behind the protest”. For the record, this protest was not organized by CMR in any way but we stand firmly against gender-based violence and support all victims of abuse.
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