San Fernando Mayor Junia Regrello yesterday called for an apology from the police, following an incident on Carnival Tuesday night in which he was physically assaulted when he challenged the police’s decision to halt celebrations early.
Addressing the media at a press conference at City Hall, Regrello said the police actions were disrespectful to the people and the artform.
The incident, which caused the crowd to become rowdy as they voiced disapproval of the police actions, took place opposite Wack radio on Coffee Street during the last lap pan competition, while Regrello was on a float as Caribbean Airlines Skiffle, led by his son Joshua, was playing.
Regrello said, “This matter has been going on for the last eight or nine years, where the police will come and stop Carnival. What is disturbing is that both superintendents and other senior officers, last Friday at our briefing, gave us the assurance that this will not happen again this year.
“To my dismay, at around 10 pm last evening while steelbands were in the last lap competition outside Wack premises, a constable officer in tactical uniform and a gentleman in plain clothes came and stopped the band while they were performing.”
Regrello said the conversation with the officer got “very strong.”
“I was up on the float telling the band you could continue. The judges allowed them to play and he jumped on to the truck and snatched my arm. He said he was stopping the band and I asked what authority he had to stop the band.”
Regrello said the officer, who did not seem to know who he was, also threatened to lock him up.
Regrello said he was still undecided on whether to press charges, but complained that the police’s “brutal and bullying” behaviour is causing masqueraders and bandleaders to consider taking part in Port-of-Spain Carnival.
He said when Snr Supt Zamsheed Mohammed arrived on the scene he allowed steeelbands to continue performing. He also questioned whether the police had the authority to lock off celebrations.
“As far as we know, the President proclaims Carnival and Carnival starts at 4 am Monday and ends midnight Carnival Tuesday. Unless something happens that can create a risk to the lives of citizens then we will adhere to that, but we must be consulted and informed of what is going on. ... There was nothing that would have affected the peaceful running of the Carnival celebrations.”
Complaining that young pan players and spectators would have witnessed the incident, he said, “The police owe the city corporation and the people of San Fernando an apology for the atrocity. This going on for seven or eight years and it is time we put a stop to this.”
But TTPS public information officer Michael Jackman said yesterday the police ended the event in the interest of public safety. He after police had halted last lap activities on Cipero Street, including fights and a bottle throwing, earlier, some of the crowd went to Coffee Street for the last lap steelpan event. He said police there agreed with the organisers only to allow the judging of the steelbands to be completed, after which the music had to be turned off and the bands had to leave the area. However, he said after judging one band continued playing and when police attempted to explain the arrangement, a band member and the public began using abusive language towards them.
Jackman said Snr Supt Mohammed intervened and quickly brought the situation under control. However, Supt Yuseff Gaffar has since been detailed to probe the incident.
But Regrello yesterday said even if there was an incident on Cipero Street, that did not warrant the police shutting down the entire celebration. However, he said no one could say who was the senior officer who gave the instructions.
“You know they would not have done that in Port-of-Spain. I have never heard Carnival stopped in Port-of-Spain at 9 or 10 pm.”