





A brawl between male cross-dressers and bystanders disrupted the road march climax of carnival activities yesterday and resulted in injury to several persons, as well as damage to a furniture store and a motor car along Constant Spring Road.







The ugly incident, which occurred some time after 3:00 pm, sent many revellers scampering for cover and gave the police a hard time as they tried to restore calm.







The melée was sparked by the actions of the gay men who — mostly dressed in skimpy, tight-fitting outfits — gyrated to the soca music blasting from music trucks while showing off acrobatic moves.







Bystanders apparently took offence to the men's behaviour and started hurling bottles, stones and other missiles at them.







"Today, we a go kill out all a dem nasty bwoy ya. Dem a get too bright," one angry man, armed with an ice pick, hollered.







The gay men, though far fewer in number, replied to the attack by throwing missiles at the angry crowd.



"A wha happen to dem crawny people ya; watch mi and unno in ya today," one of the cross-dressers shouted before hurling a few stones into the crowd.







For several minutes, members of the outnumbered security forces tried, without much success, to restore calm. However, they eventually managed to break up the fight, but not for long, as mere minutes later, both groups were at it again.







Eventually, the cross-dressers retreated along Westminster Road.







At the end of the clash, several persons were left nursing injuries and the storefront window of the Singer Jamaica furniture store and a motor vehicle were damaged.







The brawl, however, did not interfere much with the colourful Bacchanal road march as the revellers continued their journey to Mass Camp at Stadium North for the final party.



