What the crowd told us:

• Rally co-organiser Anne Hyde: "All people should have the right to speak their voice without fear of repercussion."

• LaVerne Furbert, who organised a counter-demonstration in support of the Premier: "I personally think Dr. Brown should receive a Nobel Peace Prize." Ms Furbert added of the protesters: "I have seen pictures of lynching parties in the South after slavery and when I looked at the faces of these people, that's what I saw, people who had come here to lynch the Premier."

• Deborah Jhuboo: "This is nothing to do with party politics or colour. It is supporting the Constitution that is currently in place."

• PLP MP Zane DeSilva: "I don't think this is about those folks that we are letting into Bermuda at all. I think it's all about our leader. It's a shame."

• Robert Stewart: "We've got a lawless Premier. He's doing this to embarrass the British Government. There are 101 reasons why he's done this, none of which have anything to do with human rights."

• Kamal Worrell: "I think Government has to be allowed some leeway in terms of how they execute policy. We have to remember Government has been given a mandate by the people via the election."

• Roger Farge: "Do you trust the Premier? Would you buy a used car from him? It is ridiculous to give people long-term status before they have arrived — some people have been waiting 20 years."

• Sasha Castle, a Muslim from Warwick, described herself as close to the Premier and said the protest was a "devastating turn of events". "You know that today is not about that issue [of the detainees]. Today is about the leadership style of Dr. Brown."

• Sheilagh Head: "We're tired of being lied to — it's been lies, lies and more lies."

• Myrtle Durham: "Where were these people in 1959 when we struggled for democracy? Dr. Brown is a good man."

• PLP Senator Walton Brown: "This reaction, in my view, is an irrational, emotional reaction from people who simply want to see Premier Brown removed from office."

• Former Premier and Finance Minister David Saul: "What I'm worried about is Bermuda's economy and financial well-being. This is not good advertising."

• PLP Senator Marc Bean: "It's good to see so-called democracy in action. I call it so-called because people kind of get it twisted. It's an oxymoron to have democracy in a colony."