POLICE and gunmen were this morning engaged in a gunfight along Red Hills Road as members of garrison communities loyal to powerful Kingston don, Christopher 'Dudus' Coke joined the fray of civil unrest in his support.

Assault rifle and shotgun blasts rang out along the normally busy thoroughfare of Red Hills Road from Sunday afternoon and continued this morning.

Rogue elements have erected blockades in the vicinity of Karl Samuda Boulevard near the community known as 'Common'.

More blockages were erected in the vicinity of Park Lane and the Emmanuel Gospel Assembly. Police said thugs chased away jerk chicken vendors and used their jerk pans to erect roadblocks. Tyres were also burnt in the streets.

The communities of Park Lane and Common are fiercely loyal to the ruling Jamaica Labour Party and are the main support bases of Industry Minister Karl Samuda's North Central St Andrew constituency.

"They blocked the road and the police went there to clear it. They fired on the police and the shooting lasted for some time," head of crime for the St Andrew North Police Division, Deputy Superintendent Altermoth 'Parra' Campbell told the Observer.

None of the officers were hurt in the incident.

Cops and gunmen also traded bullets along Mannings Hill Road at a roadblock in the vicinity of Clifton Boulevard.

Police have since cleared that blockage and a tense calm remains in the area.