{"id":223226,"date":"2025-01-25T13:08:43","date_gmt":"2025-01-25T17:08:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/?p=223226"},"modified":"2025-01-25T13:34:14","modified_gmt":"2025-01-25T17:34:14","slug":"video-barbudans-protest-new-housing-development","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/video-barbudans-protest-new-housing-development\/","title":{"rendered":"VIDEO: Barbudans protest new housing development"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Barbudans Protest Housing Project Amidst Tensions with Riot Police<\/strong><\/p>

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Barbudans have staged a protest against an ongoing housing project on the island, accusing authorities of heavy-handed tactics and infringement on their ancestral land. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The demonstration, captured in video footage, highlights the community\u2019s longstanding resistance to developments they say threaten their traditional landownership system.<\/p>

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Footage from the protest shows residents confronting an armed riot squad deployed to the area. <\/p>

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One protestor, speaking directly to the officers, said, \u201cWe\u2019re not giving this up. This is our land. You want to fire that weapon? Go ahead. Take your best shot.\u201d The crowd expressed defiance, with some describing the situation as “pure intimidation” and likening it to historical struggles dating back to the 1960s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The protestors argue that the housing project undermines Barbuda\u2019s unique system of communal landownership, a practice enshrined in law and deeply rooted in the island\u2019s cultural identity. \u201cThis is 2025,\u201d said one demonstrator. \u201cWhat\u2019s happening here is ridiculous. We will not back down.\u201d<\/p>

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Barbuda\u2019s communal land system has long been a source of contention between residents and successive governments, particularly after Hurricane Irma devastated the island in 2017. Efforts to introduce large-scale developments have sparked widespread opposition, with critics claiming they prioritize private and foreign interests over the needs of Barbudans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The presence of armed police has drawn criticism from human rights advocates and raised concerns over the handling of the dispute. Protestors warned officials that the situation is being closely monitored by media and international observers.<\/p>

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Authorities have not yet commented on the protest or the allegations of intimidation. The housing project remains a divisive issue, with residents vowing to continue their fight to protect what they see as their birthright.<\/p>

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