Gary Bowser

There couldn't be more than 10 people into a grocery store or pharmacy or a bank. Those were the only three things that were allowed to be open. Everything else was shut. It was total lockdown. In fact, so hard that where I was living, I couldn't even leave my apartment and go into my little office I had, which was right next door.

There couldn't be more than 10 people into a grocery store or pharmacy or a bank. Those were the only three things that were allowed to be open. Everything else was shut. It was total lockdown. In fact, so hard that where I was living, I couldn't even leave my apartment and go into my little office I had, which was right next door.

So I actually broke a hole through the wall instead of having to be able to walk outside and walk in so I could actually work at night. So I was looking forward to September the 27th because that was going to be the end of the lockdowns. The airports were going to reopen. You'll be able to go outside all day long. The bars will be open again. The beaches will be open again.

So I actually broke a hole through the wall instead of having to be able to walk outside and walk in so I could actually work at night. So I was looking forward to September the 27th because that was going to be the end of the lockdowns. The airports were going to reopen. You'll be able to go outside all day long. The bars will be open again. The beaches will be open again.

It was going to be the end of the extreme lockdown. So I was looking forward to it. But at 5 in the morning... Instead of waking up at 7 in the morning and going outside and enjoying the outside at 5 in the morning, I woke up with shotguns pointed to my head and a bunch of people in my place. At first, I thought I was getting robbed. I didn't know what was going on.

It was going to be the end of the extreme lockdown. So I was looking forward to it. But at 5 in the morning... Instead of waking up at 7 in the morning and going outside and enjoying the outside at 5 in the morning, I woke up with shotguns pointed to my head and a bunch of people in my place. At first, I thought I was getting robbed. I didn't know what was going on.

There was a lot of crime during COVID. And all I knew is I'm getting dragged out of my house early in the morning and there's a bunch of people in the place looking at all my electronics, grabbing all the computers. I try to talk to them to find out what's happening.

There was a lot of crime during COVID. And all I knew is I'm getting dragged out of my house early in the morning and there's a bunch of people in the place looking at all my electronics, grabbing all the computers. I try to talk to them to find out what's happening.

They refused to talk to me in English or Spanish and acted as if I was speaking Russian or German, looking at each other like, whoa, what's this guy talking? Even when the girl that I knew lived above me came downstairs, they even didn't tell her what's going on. They were just saying, oh, he's being taken to have his papers checked. And once his papers get checked, we'll release him.

They refused to talk to me in English or Spanish and acted as if I was speaking Russian or German, looking at each other like, whoa, what's this guy talking? Even when the girl that I knew lived above me came downstairs, they even didn't tell her what's going on. They were just saying, oh, he's being taken to have his papers checked. And once his papers get checked, we'll release him.

So they took me over there, brought me to the Interpol office. I sat down on a couch. They still continued to refuse to talk to me. I was screaming that I wanted to talk to the Canadian government.

So they took me over there, brought me to the Interpol office. I sat down on a couch. They still continued to refuse to talk to me. I was screaming that I wanted to talk to the Canadian government.

And after about a day of just sitting on the couch, the next day on the 28th, they drove me to this cage in the middle of nowhere of a bunch of other Haitians that they had rounded up and threw me in there. And I spent like two or three days in that cage, still not knowing what's going on.

And after about a day of just sitting on the couch, the next day on the 28th, they drove me to this cage in the middle of nowhere of a bunch of other Haitians that they had rounded up and threw me in there. And I spent like two or three days in that cage, still not knowing what's going on.

Luckily, I got a little bit of food from someone else that got food brought to them, another Haitian, an old guy that took pity on me. He gave me some of his food, shared it with me. Because in Dominican Republic, when you go to jail, you don't get fed. Your family has to show up and bring your food. Otherwise, you just starve. So I spent like three days like that.

Luckily, I got a little bit of food from someone else that got food brought to them, another Haitian, an old guy that took pity on me. He gave me some of his food, shared it with me. Because in Dominican Republic, when you go to jail, you don't get fed. Your family has to show up and bring your food. Otherwise, you just starve. So I spent like three days like that.

Come October the 1st, they take me out of the cage and they said, we're taking you to see the Canadian government. I said, well, finally, about time someone listened to me. But instead, they drive me to the airport. I start yelling and screaming at the airport again and saying, hey, where's the Canadian government? Well, they can't make it. You can find out when you get back home.

Come October the 1st, they take me out of the cage and they said, we're taking you to see the Canadian government. I said, well, finally, about time someone listened to me. But instead, they drive me to the airport. I start yelling and screaming at the airport again and saying, hey, where's the Canadian government? Well, they can't make it. You can find out when you get back home.

They handed me my passport. They handed me 3,000 pesos. They handed me a plane ticket to Toronto. And they said, once you're on the plane, you get to Canada, you can figure it out. You have to leave the country. I said, well, am I under arrest? They said, no, you're not under arrest. You're just being kicked out of the country. Your visa's expired. You're not welcome anymore in the country.

They handed me my passport. They handed me 3,000 pesos. They handed me a plane ticket to Toronto. And they said, once you're on the plane, you get to Canada, you can figure it out. You have to leave the country. I said, well, am I under arrest? They said, no, you're not under arrest. You're just being kicked out of the country. Your visa's expired. You're not welcome anymore in the country.