A report from Trinidad quotes sources at the People's National Movement (PNM) as confirming that the party's Arouca/Maloney candidate, Alicia Hospedales, was assaulted Tuesday while she was on a walkabout in her constituency. The report said Hospedales was doused with red paint, which got into one of her eyes.
She had to be taken to hospital for treatment and missed Tuesday night's national meeting at Harris Promenade in San Fernando.
Hospedales said the incident was as an isolated one, describing her assailant as a "lone disgruntled attacker".
She said the person was from a group that was wearing UNC jerseys and carrying placards. Hospedales noted the the group told her earlier that they support her, although they don't support her party.
She said it happened after she asked the driver of one vehicle for a ride to where her car was parked. She was in the car at the time.
"I got paint in my hair, in my face, all of my clothes; I was soaked in oil paint. My eyes at that time were burning and swelling," she said.
This is the first reported case of violence in the election campaign for the May 24 general election.
On Monday, a group of protesters tried to interrupt a meeting of the United National Congress (UNC) in St Joseph. The UNC candidate for the constituency, ex-judge Herbert Volney, was speaking at the time and he urged supporters not to react.
He called on police to deal with the situation, which he said was against the law because it created the potential for the disturbance of the peace.
The UNC has written the acting police commissioner about the incident and has asked for an investigation and a greater police presence at UNC meetings.
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