A group of protesters was dispersed outside the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions on Wednesday afternoon.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Garvin Henry reminded the public that while a peaceful protest is a right, proper procedures must be followed.
“I want to stress that the Police Service is always empathetic when there is loss of life because, as we all know, this is as a result of a loss of life that took place some weeks or months ago. And we empathise with it and all we are asking the persons, the participants, in this particular event, is to let the process take its course. Trust the process.”
He added that the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service is not opposed to peaceful protest once it is carried out within the law.
“So, once the proper channels, guided by the law, because we are preachers of statute, we will respect the law. Once that is done, right? I cannot see, we have no lawful authority to stop it once the lawful process is followed.”
ACP Henry explained that Wednesday’s protest was dispersed since no prior notice was submitted to the police.
“It would have come to me, and we have no fear, right, in examining a request and denying it or acknowledging and allowing it to go on because if you know the history of Trinidad and Tobago, how many protests we have had in this country?”
Meanwhile, TTPS’ Legal Officer, Noble Smith, outlined the procedure required to host a protest.
“So the process is really a simple one. It’s an application to the office of the Commissioner, not less than 48 hours before you do the protest or your march, as the case might be, and so he acknowledges yea or nay accordingly.”
The police are reminding everyone that they will dismantle any attempt to disrupt normal life or inconvenience the public.