I want to make a very clear and strong statement in relation to the riots which have occurred in Burns Creek area over the past two nights and the gangs who have attacked police.
Many of the rocks thrown by gangs are as large as a person’s fist and can easily kill a person if it strikes someone’s head.
I am incredibly disappointed that gangs of youths are continuing to cause trouble and commit crimes on our streets.
I need to be very plain about this.
They are criminals who are taking the opportunity to plan their crimes under the cover of darkness.
We also have intelligence that people are making home-made weapons with an intention to fight with and harm police officers.
This includes allegations of people making petrol bombs, metal darts, and slingshots to shoot projectiles with nails and sharp implements. Their intention is to cause physical injury to police officers.
These are dangerous situations.
All day yesterday and today, police have made extensive efforts to engage with local community leaders in the area. I call on all leaders to assist police, to defuse the situation and stop this violence.
This is not some sort of sport for fun. This is extremely dangerous. If this continues, I am gravely concerned that someone will suffer a very serious injury or, even worse, there could be a tragedy.
I do not want to see someone killed. The police force does not want to see anyone injured or killed.
I do not want to have to keep putting my police officers in harm’s way to respond to these senseless incidents of criminal actions, just because some people want to loot, steal, burn property or pick a fight.
The police do not want conflict. But the police have a duty to maintain order on our streets. We have a duty to uphold the law. If do not uphold the law, we would be failing the community who we are sworn to protect.
I call on all leaders to assist police, to defuse the situation and stop this violence.
This is not a game.
I call on the leaders to demand that the youths surrender the homemade weapons.
I call on the leaders to surrender the ringleaders to police so that they can be dealt with according to law. You have the power to cooperate with us and intervene to stop this violence and disorder on our streets. No one wants to see a third night of this irresponsible criminal behavious on the streets of our city.
The RSIPF is not against any law abiding members of the Honiara Community. In fact we are here to make the community safe for everyone.
But I will not tolerate acts of violence against this community or against my police officers.
Enough is enough. It must end today. We must restore order to our community.
I call upon all law abiding citizens of our community, all chiefs, leaders, church leaders and mums and dads in our community to join me in saying enough is enough.
Let us stop this violence together and cooperate to restore the proper sense of harmony in our community that we all want.