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Families of Men Detained In SOE Complain
posted (July 8, 2020)
And while Vidal recovers, don't expect "get well" wishes from the Queen Street holding cell. That's where about 100 men remain detained after the Southside state of emergency went into effect yesterday morning.

Today, they remain there, where most will be transferred to the Kolbe Central Prison for 30 days.

For the families of these men, it's an incredibly difficult time, losing in many cases, their breadwinner, and also trying to support them while behind bars.

I spoke to two frustrated mothers outside the Queen Street station today as they tried to get food to their loved ones:

Wendy Gillett, Mother of Detainee
"Yesterday morning they came and pick up my son, when they came they stomp my door and gate open and I brakes them. When they went into my house my daughter was naked and I told them my daughter was sleeping and they still went in my son's room and my daughter-in-law was naked too. From yesterday morning when they took my son he called me and told me that he haven't eaten anything and he called again this morning and I brought my eye water and they haven't eaten up to yet. They have the boys at the back there and they haven't eaten anything. They don't want them to take water and no food. We have to speak for our rights, those are our children."

Reporter
"Have you heard anything about taking the guys to Kolbe Foundation?"

Voice of: Mother of Detainee
"No, we haven't heard anything about that. My son just came out 2 weeks ago. He was at prison almost 4 years. He just came out. It shock me to hear that they have my son hold. My son came out and he is living his life with his girlfriend. My son is asthmatic and with that heat in there you could never tell what could happen with my son back there. And then he haven't eaten anything yet. They framed him the first time and he went to court and the judge struck out the case. Now they went and hold him up. My son doesn't run behind men, he runs behind women, he is a womanizer. They missed up his future because he was a 4th form student. He couldn't even finish high school because they held him for a murder that he didn't do. As what they say birds of a feather flock together - but he only hangs there to smoke weed and from there he goes home at night to his girlfriend."

Reporter
"Now many efforts have you made to bring food?"

Voice of: Mother of Detainee
"It's just this morning they hold him and I hear that they can't accept any food nor water."

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