The men singled out by police as the cause of fear on Cambridge Road in Sandys look set to hold their ground against the new law that goes into effect today.As of 8am the police will have the right to order men congregating in public areas to move on and keep away from the area for two weeks.Police singled out the area, known to some as ‘Gun Alley’, as the leading trouble spot on Tuesday.But in an interview with The Royal Gazette yesterday, the men singled out said they have no intentions of moving. And as long as they stay on private property behind Charing Cross they intend to challenge the legality of the new policy.Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a group of ten men counter-claimed, saying the police “gave the impression that there were confrontations with area residents”.One man said that couldn’t be further from the truth. “Yes, people who live in the units across from Charing Cross have complained,” he said. “But I could tell you one thing, nobody’s house has been broken into, nobody has been robbed around here or anything like that.”Another man said: “We tell tourists and residents all the time that if they have any trouble just come and see us. Why single us out when guys hang out island wide?”When asked if it could be because the area is known as MOB territory, he replied: “Even if that’s what they think it makes no difference.”But instead of standing on the roadside yesterday, they were gathered on a small section of private property off the roadside behind Charing Cross, which prompted another man to question the legality of the new powers of the police.Acting Chief Inspector Robert Cardwell told the media that other areas will be looked at once the new initiative is launched. “If drug dealers and loiterers move elsewhere, police will follow. And if they return after the two-week period of authorisation, police will simply renew it.“Residents of Cambridge Road and Somerset Road are fed up with living in ‘daily fear’,” he added. The maximum penalty for refusing to disperse or anyone who returns after being warned is $2,500 with three months’ imprisonment.One man questioned whether the police even have the right to challenge them on private property. In any case, he said, he knows his rights and said as long as he doesn’t break the law he has no intention of moving.“We’ve been hanging out here for years,” he said. When asked if the new law will lead to more confrontations with police, most of the men nodded in agreement.“Of course it will because the police, just like politicians, have a job to do. But this will lead to problems with the Government too. I won’t be surprised if all this is because there’s an election coming and the Lister’s know they might not get re-elected.“This new policy, whatever it is, is not fair because guys are hanging out everywhere, there is no way the police had the right to pinpoint just us,” he added.Another man said the police forced another group of men gathered at the public wharf to move just for sitting there after work this week. “These were just a few old guys who work hard from 6am to 6pm and go sit off to have a few cocktails on the dock and probably even dream of having a boat,” he said.“Why don’t the police go down Riddell’s Bay and make those old guys move from down there or down Riddell’s Bay Marina for that matter, why don’t they go around Fairylands and poke with those white boys, I want to know?“It was a Somerset man they were shooting at outside the new Hamilton Police Station not too long ago, right in front of their station, and what did they do about that?” he added.Another man said: “This to me is profiling. They keep trying to make it all about gangs. We guys grew up together; this is family. You’re telling me it’s the law now that I can’t go sit with three or four of my friends? That to me is just another reason for the police to mess with even more young black men in this country.”Meanwhile co-owner of Charing Cross, Nahlijah Williams, welcomed news of the police clampdown. “My reaction was thank God it’s about time, they’re finally getting on to this to clear up the area for us.”Now heading towards five years in business, she said: “The men who hang outside are a deterrent, although I don’t believe everything the police said was accurate.“The police came across like there have been confrontations, there haven’t been any. But there are situations where traffic was blocked for residents, and that could be an issue.”Ms Williams stressed that she has “never witnessed any confrontations”, but she believes the new law will only be effective if it is really enforced.“It will only make a difference if they do what they say they’re going to do. If they give the warning and then follow up after the warning — yes, it should make some changes,” she said.“Right now those boys are not watching that because previously nothing has really happened when the police said it would. Like they tell me all the time, ‘We’ve been here forever why should we move?’From a business standpoint she said the presence outside the business is a deterrent. “It puts a stigma on the business, aside from the fact that we have to keep the streetside door of this business closed, people are fearful of that large group outside — that’s the biggest problem.“Of course less people come here now and it’s because of that congregation out there,” said Ms Williams.For now she said they coexist. When asked if she felt there would be problems as a result of this interview she replied, “I don’t expect any problems. I could deal with problems but it’s sad that Bermuda has come to this; it really is.”