Antigua PM Gaston Browne urges police to use force against chain snatchers

Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda called for a tougher police response to young thieves who steal gold chains, saying officers should be prepared to use physical force. He suggested sting operations and stated, “Put some blows on them,” defending the approach despite expected criticism from human‑rights groups.

Browne made the remarks while discussing a proposed third‑country deportee agreement with the United States. He argued that Antigua and Barbuda should not accept deportees with criminal records, accepting only those whose only offence is a U.S. immigration violation, and warned that sophisticated criminals imported from abroad could threaten the country's safety.