Midday showers did not keep a small group of protestors from assembling outside of the St. Thomas Legislature on Tuesday, calling for the resignation of Gov. Albert Bryan Jr and several sitting senators.
The demonstration was part of a territory-wide collaboration of private citizens and ad-hoc organizations that wanted to bring grievances to the V.I. government and demand accountability, with other small groups simultaneously gathering in front of the legislative buildings in Cruz Bay, St. John and Christiansted, St. Croix.
Several organizers explained how unfulfilled campaign promises, “backroom business dealings” and general corruption had them already at odds with the government. However, filings in the most recent civil lawsuit against a cadre of V.I. officials alleged to have aided in Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking scheme proved the last straw and prompted these disparate groups to come together.
“It’s all come to a head,” said Margaret Price, a community activist, former Senate candidate and past educator who helped organize the showing on St Thomas. “We want the resignation of all our elected officials named in the Epstein filings, and we want accountability for all the officials that were named and no longer in office.”
The group vows to assemble every Tuesday until they receive all of the named officials’ resignations.
“We’re here”, said Price, “We’ll be here. But they gotta go.”
