Thread: Carnival Victory Passengers Jailed on Antigua

From the Antigua Sun comes a storyabout six passengers on the Carnival Victory who got in an argument with a taxi driver over the fare last Friday. things excalated, and, at somepoint, the group ended up at th police station, where the scuffled with police, and were arrested.

They were detained, and the Victory sailed without them. They were released on Monday after paying $5,000 bail EACH.

FULL STORY from the Antigua Sun

Well that didn't go well They deserved what they got

Associated Press article

American tourists charged in Antigua scuffle
(AP) – 1 day ago
ST. JOHN'S, Antigua — Six American tourists in Antigua were charged with assault and malicious damage after refusing to pay a cab fare they thought was excessive and later scuffling with police officers.. . .
Full Article HERE: The Associated Press: 6 American tourists charged in Antigua scuffle

There are some interesting comments after the Antigua Sun article.

The taxi driver wanted an extra $50 abd they didn't want to pay it.

Well, now, they have had to pay airfare back to the states, $30,000 in fines, most likely attorneys fees, and who knows what else.

A good remiinder that when you travel outside the US, it is exactly OUTSIDE the US, and you'd best not make any assumptions about your rights while on foreign soil, because your rights as guaranteed by the US constitution do not apply as the US Constitution does not apply to other sovereign nations, which have their own laws and ways of doing things.

And, above all, for Pete's sakes, just BEHAVE. You are a GUEST in that other country. . . . act like one.

People need to know, when they visit ports outside the US, you have to obey their laws, not US laws. They don't do things the way we do.

Yes....those comments at the end were rather telling weren't they?

Bottom line...nobody gets away with hitting a police officer.

I would love to sit in the court room for this one...

I wanted to post a comment that followed that story by readers.. one of the comments I found enlightening... it is from Ann..
she basically was saying that we as Americans need to realize that our Constitution that gives us a right to speak out is valid only in the united states.. speaking out elsewhere may and does have its consequences...

We have heard two totally different stories on this one and I will bet that all sides were wrong.

Why did the taxi driver ask for more money? Were his actions lawful?

Why did the tourist physically attack the police? Were they that stupid?

Did the police make any indication that they were police? From what the tourist said the police looked and acted like civilians.

Unfortunately the bottom line is that it is a foreign country and just cause and "right" might mean something totally different. The tourist should have bitten their tongue, paid the extra extortion money and complained after the fact.