2010 Kingston unrest

The 2010 Kingston unrest, dubbed locally the Tivoli Incursion, was an armed conflict between Jamaica's military and police forces in the country's capital Kingston, and the Shower Posse drug cartel. The conflict began on 23 May 2010 as security forces began searching for Christopher "Dudus" Coke, a major drug lord, after the United States requested his extradition, and the leader of the criminal gang that attacked several police stations. The violence, which largely took place over 24–25 May, killed at least 73 civilians and wounded at least 35 others. Four soldiers and police were also killed and more than 500 arrests were made, as Jamaican police and soldiers fought gunmen in the Tivoli Gardens district of Kingston.

2010 Kingston unrest
Part of the Jamaican political conflict
in the War on Drugs
Date23 May – 23 June 2010
(1 month)
Location
Result
  • 700+ people arrested
  • Christopher Coke arrested
  • 2 police stations burnt down
  • 85+ guns, 14,000+ rounds of ammunition, and an unknown number of hand grenades, dynamite, ballistic helmets, and protective vests recovered
Belligerents

 Jamaica
 United States:

  • DEA
  • Department of Homeland Security
Shower Posse
Commanders and leaders
Stewart Saunders
Owen Ellington
Patrick Allen
Bruce Golding
Janet Napolitano
Christopher Coke
Units involved

Jamaica Constabulary Force
Jamaica Defence Force

  • The Jamaica Regiment
Strength
1000+ soldiers comprising elements of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions
300+ police officers
DHS P-3 Orion
500+ gunmen (est.)
Casualties and losses
JDF:
1 killed
30 injured
JCF:
3 killed
28 injured
26 killed
25 wounded
73+ civilians killed (including the estimates for the gunmen and policemen killed)
35+ civilians injured

Much of the unrest happened in the constituency of the then Prime Minister of Jamaica, Bruce Golding, who said he was "taken aback" by its scale. He was described by the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) as a "known criminal affiliate" of Coke; Golding retorted that this was "extremely offensive". Although the U.S. government considered Golding one of Coke's associates, it said it supported the Jamaican government's attempt to capture Coke.

When prompted as to his whereabouts three days after the mission was launched, police stated they did not know where Coke was. Coke was eventually captured on 23 June, after initial rumours that he was attempting to surrender to the United States. Kingston police arrested him on the outskirts of the city, apparently while a local reverend, Reverend Al Miller, was helping negotiate Coke's surrender to the United States Embassy.

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