Rally organiser Janice Battersbee yesterday hit back at Premier Ewart Brown's claims that Tuesday's Cabinet demonstration stemmed from whites' anger at their loss of privilege.

"I'm not white," pointed out lifelong Progressive Labour Party supporter Mrs. Battersbee, whose protest attracted up to 1,000 residents waving placards, booing and jeering Dr. Brown for his 'one-man' style of rule.

The Premier's comments on Hott 107.5 radio also brought an angry response from blacks and whites who attended the protest and spoke to The Royal Gazette yesterday.

Dr. Brown told the Hott audience he believed a perceived loss of privilege had driven whites into extreme anger. Meanwhile host Thaao Dill, a PLP Senator, repeatedly expressed concern at the large number of whites in attendance. Estimates vary, but it is thought at least three quarters of the crowd were white.

Mrs. Battersbee was the key speaker at the rally, which was organised after the Premier brought four Guantánamo Bay detainees to Bermuda after consulting only one of his Cabinet colleagues, Immigration Minister David Burch.

The Premier said it was an immigration matter and therefore under Government's remit, but the Governor says that is not the case and the matter was one for Britain to decide.

"As far as I can tell, there was a white woman and a black woman up on that hill last week. We were the ones that got this ball rolling," Mrs. Battersbee told this newspaper yesterday.

"A comment like that is totally divisive. It has the intention to divide, but that's not what the protest is about.

"Take away the skin colour and we are all the same. We are all Bermudians. It doesn't matter what colour you are, we come together for a common cause. We are looking at the issues, not the colour."

White Bermudian Chris Burns, who attended the rally, said: "Unfortunately this is the type of divisive statement that we have come to expect from Dr. Brown. Bermuda fell victim to this posturing during the last election when the PLP's backs were against the wall and we are seeing it rear its ugly head again now that the Premier finds himself in yet another difficult position.

"It is completely irresponsible of the leader of our country to turn to these sort of emotive statements to deflect from the real issue at hand. I am also disappointed that Hott 107.5's Thaao Dill has yet again abused his power as a radio presenter to relay and support this type of damaging statement and assist in moving the focus away from the Premier's wrongful acts."

An e-mail is now circulating asking Bermudians to turn out in full force for further demonstrations planned for this coming Friday and also Friday, June 26. The e-mail , which is attributed to Sean Soares states: "As you saw the crowd was overwhelming, however Dr. Brown's spin machine is in full effect today with Thaoo Dill spinning this into a racial issue, stating that there weren't any black people at the rally. This sickens me to think that there are people who are attempting to belittle our democratic right of free speech into nothing more than racism and it also marginalises the Black Bermudians that were there. I was at the demonstration and I had my fellow Bermudians, both black and white all around me, shouting just as loud as I was. I have to say I was damn proud to be there with my people both black and white, and damn proud to be Bermudian."

Protester Marlon Williams, who is black, said: "The Premier and apparently many of those surrounding him have lost touch with what is important to both white and black Bermudians. The protest had nothing to do with race. Nothing to do with political affiliation and nothing to do with a 'perceived loss of privilege' by the white community. I believe the racial make up of the crowd is more indicative of our (the black community's) apathy towards these things than it is about white 'extreme anger'.

"The protest has everything to do with the Premier's style of leadership, his dismissive attitude towards those who do not see eye to eye with him on almost any given issue and the direction that he is taking Bermuda. Any dissatisfaction with the PLP is made out to be race based rather than performance based or promise based. The PLP have lost their voice of reason."

Marilyn Zuill, who is white, said: "It is a poor, yet expected, attempt by the Premier to divert attention from the real issue at hand which is a constitutional error made by himself. It is easier to use the race card and point fingers on someone else than to actually address where he has erred.

"It is disappointing that when 800 to 1,000 people gather to express their disapproval, exercising their democratic rights, someone is there to count how many black versus white people are in the crowd.

"I believe many Bermudians (black and white) are very tired of the topic of race and want to move forward in unison, making sure that all Bermudians no matter what colour enjoy equal privileges and rights."

A black Bermuda College professor, who asked not to be named, said: "It was a ridiculous remark. Ridiculous. I feel his tactics are inhumane. Instead of bringing us forward so we can heal, this man is intentionally opening the wounds and rubbing in salt."

A white PLP voter, who also asked not to be named, said: "I feel as though this is being made into a race issue by the ignorant supporters of Premier Brown. This is not a race issue, and those who think it is are blind and uneducated. I attended the protest, and there were many black people protesting the Premier's decisions — many of whom I know support PLP. This is not based on party or race."