Homeless advocate condemns vigilante justice

A video circulating on social media, showing a business owner describing an altercation with a homeless person, has drawn strong criticism from Kemar Saffrey, president and founder of the Barbados Alliance to End Homelessness (BAEH).

The video, which has sparked a wave of public debate, has prompted Saffrey’s concerns about justice and the treatment of the homeless.

Saffrey spoke out against the actions taken by the business owner: “Obviously, the Barbados Alliance to End Homelessness saw the video where people were angry at what they saw, and some people were also saying, you know, based on the comments that we have seen, that the individual deserves what he got. However, we are never of the view that any justice should be taken into the hands of the individual.”

While acknowledging the frustrations faced by business owners, Saffrey emphasised the importance of adhering to the law. “I understand the loss. I understand you could be frustrated and upset about things that may have happened. But at the same time, taking the law into your own hands is never the key to getting the satisfaction you need,” he said.

Efforts by Barbados TODAY to reach the businessman were unsuccessful.

Saffrey criticised the growing trend of vigilante justice in Barbadian society: “I believe that our society is at a stage where we believe that we are the best law in front of ourselves, and I don’t think that that should ever be. The matter was not okay. It should have been reported to the police, and they then should have been the ones to deal with this matter.”

Addressing the backdrop of increasing violence against the homeless, Saffrey stressed the need for empathy and legal recourse rather than personal retribution. He noted a troubling tendency for people to justify violent actions against the homeless, particularly on social media.

“I’ve seen the comments on Facebook and social media where people are saying: ‘We have to protect our business,’ and ‘he or she deserves it’. Let’s not support the wrongdoing of the person; let’s not get to the idea where we think that the comments that you’re making are justified,” Saffrey said.

He urged the community to resist vigilante justice and seek lawful means of addressing grievances. “Violence is not the answer; premeditation and anti-justice are not the answers. We don’t always get the law, but at the same time, it is still the right way because it doesn’t put us at risk as right-standing members of society,” he added.

Saffrey called for greater support and understanding for the vulnerable homeless population, advocating for assistance rather than punishment. “We have vulnerable people in our society that would do things to survive, and you know, it is wrong, but it is not a large population of society, just a small, segregated society, but they need to be treated, and they need to be given help,” he said. (RG)