Clown held for taxi assault

A professional clown who was seen in a viral video Monday ordering passengers out of a taxi in downtown Kingston was arrested and slapped with criminal charges.

Ramone Silvera, 23, of Kellyman Terrace, is to appear in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on January 12 next year to answer to charges of assault at common law, disorderly conduct, and indecent language.

The Jamaica Constabulary Force, in a statement on its Instagram page, confirmed that Silvera was charged but made no mention of whether he was released on bail. The police information arm, too, could not say, up to press time, whether Silvera was given bail.

Silvera, who was armed with a length of board, was seen in a video during Monday’s taxi strike ordering passengers to exit a cab. The accused, who was behaving in a threatening and intimidating manner while using expletives, was later accosted by the police.

The police are urging taxi operators and passengers who have been intimidated or harassed by “thugs” during the public transport strike to report it to them.

Taxi and bus operators across several parishes have been striking to press their demand for a traffic ticket amnesty.