Two property owners from Eleuthera have been formally charged following a contentious confrontation with government officials during a demolition exercise in Spanish Wells earlier this month. The incident, which gained national attention through viral social media footage, culminated in court proceedings yesterday.
Blake and Dominique Pinder appeared before Acting Magistrate Gwendolyn Patram where they entered not guilty pleas to multiple charges including disorderly behavior and using obscene and abusive language. Blake Pinder faces an additional count of obstruction for allegedly interfering with official government operations.
The charges stem from a heated encounter between the siblings and members of the Unregulated Community Action Task Force during the dismantling of condemned structures in what authorities classified as a shantytown area. Prosecutors asserted that the defendants engaged in shouting racial epithets and physically obstructed officials during the demolition process—allegations both parties vigorously contested in court proceedings.
As part of their release conditions, judicial authorities imposed strict restrictions prohibiting the defendants from discussing the case or posting related content on social media platforms. The case has been adjourned until February 4 for further proceedings.
This legal confrontation follows a broader government initiative targeting unregulated structures deemed unsafe or unlawful throughout the Bahamas. The operation in Spanish Wells generated significant public discourse after video evidence circulated widely showing intense exchanges between the Pinders and task force personnel.
Prior to the legal charges, Blake Pinder had publicly contested the government’s actions, claiming officials unlawfully demolished family property that had been owned for decades. He maintained that despite efforts to regularize the development—including providing housing with established utility connections—authorities failed to properly engage with him before proceeding with demolition. Pinder further disputed the government’s classification of the property as part of a shantytown, noting his late father’s longstanding ownership and the structures’ established nature.