King Charles faces calls for slavery reparations as he arrives in Bahamas on official Caribbean trip

King Charles III arrived in the Bahamas on Tuesday as part of a nine-day trip to the Caribbean, where he faces calls for an apology and slavery reparations.

It’s his first official visit to the Bahamas as king, with the archipelago’s government closing all public schools on the island of New Providence to welcome him.

The Bahamian police and armed forces strode out to greet Charles in lockstep, some wearing pith helmets.

Charles stepped out in a light gray suit and donned sunglasses as he greeted Governor-General Dame Cynthia A. Pratt and Prime Minister Philip Davis.

The monarch then traveled to Clifford Park, which he last officially visited as Prince of Wales in 1973 to grant the Bahamas independence after 300 years of British rule.

Members of the Bahamas’ Rastafarian community and others lined a road near Clifford Park in protest, demanding reparations. “Pay us what you owe us!” one woman cried out. “I stand in memory of the horrors and the atrocities committed against Black people.”

Meanwhile, a cheering crowd awaited Charles as he arrived at the park, with dozens of young students waving small Bahamian flags ahead of a cultural event that included children singing and playing music.

Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/world