So, what really happened on the ground yesterday that is forcing the senior shake-up in the police department? We know that the GSU went into full riot squad mode when it was not directed to do so. But tonight Cherisse Halsall, who was on the frontline all morning, re-examines the events of yesterday to find out exactly where things took a turn from civil unrest to paramilitary attack.

Evan "Mose" Hyde - President, CWU

"Who gave the order to have people who were fighting for their rights face such levels of brutality."

That's the question that's been booming across Belize since last night. But whoever's responsible is set to suffer the vengeance of the state.

Hon. Michael Peyrefitte - Minister of National Security

"There will be hell to pay. Because under sky and in no world would I send the police department to rough up and arrest stevedores on behalf of the vampire Michael Ashcroft and his Belizean minions. That would never happen in a million years."

Jules Vasquez

"But it happened."

Hon. Michael Peyrefitte

"But it happened and so somebody will feel the wrath of the Government within the Police Department."

But, where did things turn? How did an executive order say one thing, yet the complete opposite happens on the ground?

While the COMPOL and the AG try and find that out, our team on the ground knows that this moment when a fire truck was blocked from putting out a burning car, Is where things started to take a turn.

Smoke billowed out from inside the compound as the stevedores marched in, in droves chanting "touch one touch all". And in the chaos, someone hurled a bottle and smashed this window.

Enter the riot squad, who took their formation between the crowd and the port.

All the while being provoked by Raymond "Dinget" Rivers, a man who by no coincidence - at the end of the day, would sustain a scatter of wounds from the GSU's rubber bullets.

But while "Dinget" could be seen to play the aggressor, CWU president Mose Hyde, seen here in animated conversation with the commissioner of police did his best to calm the situation giving the crowd the instruction to sit.

But that didn't last, and a few minutes later protestors both inside and outside the fences were throwing their hands up in a show of peaceful solidarity against the police.

And coming back to that struggle for the door and what was really at stake there? Because as the door was held open

And with the fence compromised, protestors were breaching not just the port, but undermining its international security regulations, threat to the integral security of the port.

We don't know if that's what the GSU was responding to but after reading the riot act and releasing the first canister of tear gas, #2 brackett FB live at port the GSU sought to restore order on their paramilitary terms.

The protestors dashed off in a wild frenzy, but as they ran some of them stopped to hurl more bottles and rocks at the GSU.

Will Lambey - Worker's Rep, Port of Belize

"We believe, firmly believe and it can be show through all the media houses that the GSU was not provoked the GSU also provoked and instigated took to be criminal. It's really painful to see and to hear the words that the other workers keep uttering out is truly uncalled for."

Once they had cleared the area, the GSU commander on the ground was satisfied that their mission - clearing the compound- had been accomplished. And that they would not pursue.

For the commissioner they had accomplished the opposite of what he wanted them to do.

Chester Williams - Commissioner of Police

"When I received that call, I called the OC in eastern division and I directed that the GSU be removed immediately. Mr. Dawson assured me that he was going on the grounds to ensure that the GSU removed but by that time the damage was already done because persons were already shot with rubber bullet and people had become more agitated."

Hon. Michael Peyrefitte

"Well whoever read that riot act was reading it not on behalf of the state but on behalf of themselves."

In the aftermath, we caught up with Labour Senator Elena Smith who had come out in a show of solidarity with the CWU and was shocked at the way the day had turned out.

Elena Smith - President, BNTU

"I don't know why is it that we ended up at this point and these officers were behaving as though they were being attacked whether you or doing or not. We have every right to fight for what we deserve and there is no reason why absolutely none at all."

Today the port is not operational with its security level raised from a 1 to a 3.

It's a consequence of protestors breaching restricted areas, and according to the port

has caused a quote: "serious consequences to the flow of goods into stores and to cargo exporters attempting to get their goods to the international market for the foreseeable future."

So, while the pandemonium on the ground played out on a cinematic scale, there are very real social, economic and political consequences for all parties involved, while the moving hand behind it all, the Ashcroft Alliance remains distant, insulated and perhaps bemused.

But bemused is not the word we would use to describe the tone of an accusatory Port of Belize Limited press release. It says, quote: "PBL, and the greater Belizean economy, were sabotaged by violent CWU members who put innocent lives at risk by setting fire to vehicles, setting fire to equipment, destroying infrastructure and throwing projectiles at the Police." End quote.