St Vincent PM badly injured after protestors struck him with stones

Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines sustained head injuries after protestors struck him with an object on Thursday during COVID-19 related demonstrations on the island countries.

Officials said that PM Ralph Gonsalves is set to be flown to the nearby island of Barbados for medical treatment.

On Thursday, Prime Minister was walking past a group of over 200 protestors to enter the parliament when he was hit by an object just above his head, the office said in a statement issued later that day. [caption id="attachment_36605" align="aligncenter" width="528"] Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves after the stone pelting on Thursday[/caption]

Witnesses said that protestors were throwing water bottles and stones that hit the 74-year-old right above his temple. Photographs show Ralph Gonsalves bleeding heavily from his wound and his white, crimson shirt drenched in blood while his guards held a wad of tissues to his head to control the bleeding.

The office of the Prime Minister said he had been "bleeding profusely" and taken to hospital. Gonsalves informed his colleagues that he is recovering from the injuries.

Finance Minister Camillo Gonsalves said that medical officials recommended that PM Gonsalves should be flown to Barbados for an MRI scan.

The attack took place when PM Gonsalves was returning to parliament session where the cabinet was discussing a public health reform to make COVID-19 vaccine mandatory for all health officials. [caption id="attachment_36606" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Vaccine related demonstrations in St Vincent[/caption]

The office of the Prime Minister said that despite the injuries, Gonsalves welcomed all peaceful protests as a fundamental right in the constitution but said that the protests in no way prevent the parliamentarians right to enter the House of Assembly.

The statement also condemned the violence and said the use of violence in pursuance of political objectives is completely unacceptable. The statement accused the opposition of provoking the protests to attack the Prime Minister.

[caption id="attachment_36607" align="aligncenter" width="520"] Statement by the office of Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines[/caption]

"When the crowd prevented the vehicle carrying the Prime Minister from driving by the gate of the parliament, he left the vehicle and attempted to enter on foot." said the statement adding that the attacker was associated with the opposition.