Senior Reporter
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Tensions flared in Port-of-Spain yesterday as a protest demanding transparency in a controversial police-involved shooting ended with the arrest of the organiser and her mother following a confrontation with officers.
The protest, which began shortly after 4 pm, was organised by Alyssa Phillip and other activists who attempted to stage the demonstration opposite the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on Richmond Street, Port-of-Spain.
Demonstrators said the protest sought to raise awareness about what they described as an “injustice” against Kaia Sealy, who was shot and wounded during a police-involved shooting on January 20.
Her common-law husband, Joshua Samaroo, was killed during the incident.
Last week, it was reported that Sealy would be charged with Samaroo’s murder, triggering protests and social media outrage.
Before the first batch of demonstrators gathered, protester and social media personality Jason De Silva was arrested by officers.
While at the scene, ACP North-West Sean Henry was heard instructing police to arrest anyone using violent or threatening language.
As De Silva questioned why the public was not allowed to gather near the street, Henry, with the help of officers of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), arrested him. De Silva placed his hands behind his back and lay on his stomach on Sackville Street before being lifted by officers.
Phillip, her mother Camille Caresquero and other protesters then went to Richmond Street, where they met and spoke with ACP Henry, who informed them that no protest would be allowed near the DPP’s office.
Henry also took issue with the blocking of the pavement on Richmond Street, describing it as an obstruction. He occasionally stopped to urge reporters recording the interaction to keep their distance to ensure the free flow of pedestrian traffic.
“We can’t just block up the pavement, we empathise with your cause, you know? Any loss of life is something we don’t rejoice about, but the public must not be made to be inconvenienced by something like that.”
Caresquero, flanked by other demonstrators, attempted to compromise with police by offering to line the street in single file. However, Henry said such a gathering near the DPP’s office would not be permitted.
“At this point in time, especially under the SoE, it’s a sensitive area, and we wouldn’t allow any form of action that would cause any public disturbance to take place in front of the DPP’s office.”
Shortly afterwards, protesters relocated a few metres south of the DPP’s office, outside the Sacred Heart RC Church, where Phillip recited a prayer calling for justice and transparency from the authorities.
As demonstrators began chanting for the removal of Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro and Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander, Snr Supt Edgar Baird and ACP Henry intervened and urged them to stop.
“We spoke to you about that part of it... the chanting and the noise. This is a State of Emergency right? This is not a silent protest. I am telling you to desist.”
This prompted contention between officers and demonstrators, as several people, including head of the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) David Abdulah, who also attended the gathering, questioned whether such an interpretation of the SoE regulations was correct.
“The State of Emergency does not prevent persons from speaking. There’s nothing in the regulations that says you cannot speak,” Abdulah said.
Henry briefly left the scene as Phillip continued her remarks, questioning what evidence was presented to DPP Roger Gaspard for instructions to be given for Sealy to be charged. She also outlined several concerns over the evidence-gathering and analysis processes involved in the investigation.
“They did not arrest Kaia immediately after she was discharged from the hospital. I would think it’s only right to arrest a dangerous shooter immediately rather than four months later, which also brings me to the fact that the forensic science centre took four months to bring the file to the TTPS and these are questions that Derrick Sankar, the director of the Forensic Science Centre, what took them so long?”
Phillip also criticised Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who reportedly stood by police officers in the wake of the incident, noting that such a stance was a “dangerous precedent” as concerns over transparency remained.
However, before Phillip could continue, Snr Supt Baird took her by the arm as she and other demonstrators attempted to speak with officers and questioned the reason for her arrest.
Phillip was escorted to a waiting police vehicle, while her mother continued holding onto her from behind as she sang a Gospel song in unison with other demonstrators who followed closely behind.
Phillip, Caresquero and De Silva remained in police custody up to press time yesterday, while police said no charges had been laid.
The confrontation with police continued to intensify as officers of the Guard and Emergency Branch (GEB), dressed in riot suppression gear, were deployed to the area and loudly called on the remaining demonstrators to disperse from the corner of Sackville and Richmond Streets.
After a brief stand-off, the remaining protesters, including two women holding small children, were pushed back by officers onto Richmond Street outside the church.
One demonstrator addressed the remaining activists and instructed them to leave the area and regroup at Woodford Square.
“We are not going to take the bait, we are going to walk across to Woodford Square, if we are followed the embarrassment follows them (the police).”
Closing the demonstration, one of Phillip’s friends, Mariah Walcott, thanked demonstrators for their support and urged others to be present physically, saying outrage on social media alone was not enough to raise awareness and highlight public dissatisfaction with the incident.
