Jamaica: Murdered transgender teen’s house firebombed
The former home of Dwayne Jones, a transgender teenager murdered this year in Jamaica, has been firebombed in an attack.
The Jamaican Gleaner reports four individuals were inside the house in the Jamaican parish of St James when an angry mob of men began to storm the property.
The occupants managed to flee unharmed before the house was set alight.
“I got a call from one of the men shortly after the incident,” said Everald Morgan, an officer at the St James Public Health Department. “I know the police were alerted and that they went to the scene.”
Mr Morgan said he had asked police to provide sanctuary for the individuals – as they currently do not have a safe place to live – but this was denied.
“This is the latest in a series of violent homophobic attacks, including two murders of LGBT people, Dwayne Jones and Dean Moriah. The prime minister and police chief of Jamaica have failed to speak out against the wave of anti-gay violence. Their silence is collusion,” said human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell.
Dwayne Jones, 16, was stabbed multiple times and shot at a party in St James in July.
Campaigners and friends of the teenager say it was a transphobic murder.
Police have yet to make a single arrest.
