Police arrested prominent Trinidad and Tobago trade unionist David Abdullah Friday during an anti-tax protest in Port of Spain.Abdullah was leading a "People's Democracy" protest against the proposed property tax outside the Red House when a confrontation took place between police and the demonstrators. At the same time the House of Representatives was discussing the tax measure.
Abdullah told the media police approached him questioned him about the march. He said they wanted to know under whose name permission was granted to march.
According to a report in the Trinidad Express shortly after the conversation two police vehicles arrived at the scene and officers went to Abdullah and Ancel Roget, president general of the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU), and asked them to get the protesters to keep the noise level down.
The loud chanting and clapping were disturbing proceedings inside the House of Representatives, one officer reportedly told the two men.
However, Roget insisted that the people were not acting illegally and went back to the picketers.
The express said, that's when police moved in.
"Some 20-plus officers of the Guard and Emergency Branch began to push the protesters back with their batons. They needed to clear the public passageway to the Parliament, the police said. The gateway to the chamber was then locked," the paper reported.
It said Abdullah complained about the use of force "and was grabbed by the back of his pants. Batons were pulled out. Protesters and police then began pushing each other. The protesters claimed brutality.
"The police answered these claims with batons. A screaming Abdulah was then thrown into the back-seat of the parked police SUV. His comrades circled the vehicle.
"Women were pushed back. Men were struck with batons and placards were torn and discarded. Abdulah was then taken to the Central Police Station and charged with ’obstructing the free passageway in violation of section 61 of the Highway Act chapter 48.01’.
"He spent more than an hour in police custody before he was released on $500 own bail," the paper reported.
It said Abdulah is expected to appear in Port of Spain Magistrates’ Court on Monday to answer the charge.
The march continued after police arrested Abdullah. But four opposition members left the the Red House and joined the march - three MPs Vasant Bharath, Roodal Moonilal and Dr Tim Gopeesingh and Senator Wade Mark.
The People's Democracy action was one of two anti-tax marches Friday. The other was staged by the National Joint Action Committee (NJAC).
It's "National March for Justice" highlighted several other national issues including the property tax and UDeCOTT.
NJAC is best know for its mass protests in the 1970s that led to several signficant changes in social policy in Trinidad and Tobago during the Williams PNM regime. Its leader, Makandaal Daaga, who was known then as Geddes Granger, was jailed along with several prominent opposition figures.
Daaga has promised another uprising similar to the 70's Black Power revolution.
Read the story: NJAC warns of people's uprising similar to 1970
1 comment:
The present regime is so corrupt that anyone who stands up and demand accountability would be crushed, this is the only way for the squander and corruption to continue. But this is all possible because of a blind few who continue to re-elect a govnt that has done nothing to improve their lives, then there are those who say the the PNM is the lesser of the evils and preach about empowerment - madness I say, then there are those who ask "who we go put" all this is their way of justifying their blind loyalty for electing a govnt that looks like them.
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