Protesters outside Red House detained

Approximately 12 protesters were escorted to the Central Police Station after they stood outside Parliament on Friday calling for reform in the education and national security sectors.

As the House prepared to debate a motion on increasing, unacceptable levels of disparity in access to education, the protesters held placards calling on Minister of Education Nyan Gadsby-Dolly to see education issues during the covid19 pandemic as a national emergency.

They complained of incomplete schools, unsafe buildings and poor conditions at schools.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Gangaram Gopaul of Basta Hall Village, Couva, told Newsday, “We feel the ministry has failed the children of Trinidad and Tobago. We are saying there are many schools that were built and have been left to idle.

Some of these schools were vandalised, our angels are home denied of going to these schools. We want fair treatment for all our children.

We not blocking roads, we not burning tyres. We are just asking and sending a message hoping that the powers that be would listen to us."

He listed underutilised schools in Springvale in San Fernando, McBean, Couva, Waterloo and Orange Valley.

“We need the minister to have a heart. The children and parents are crying out to make sure they get a better education system.”

Less than 15 minutes into the protest, police approached and asked the group to leave. As they walked away from Parliament complaining about the request, the police told them they were taking them to the Central Police station on St Vincent Street instead. They told the group they needed permission from police to protest.

Social activist Nazma Muller was among those taken to the station after she called for police service reform. Holding a placard with the words "Police Killing Activist," she shouted, "Police are a law unto themselves, they need to be brought into order." Before she could continue. police detained her.

Newsday was told Muller made a complaint to the Police Complaints Authority after she was released, just before 3 pm.

Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh condemned police for the move. In a release issued about two hours later, Indarsingh said the behaviour of the police was an “indication that our democracy is currently being compromised.

He said to his knowledge, "Concerned citizens of this country decided to simply hold up placards while adhering to social distancing and covid19 protocols. What is worse is that the placards expressed concern for the shambled, vagabond state of the education sector, and were standing for the rights of our nation's children.”

He was puzzled by the actions of the police, saying there was no rowdiness, no violence, no obscene language nor any aggravated behaviour by the protesters.

“They were not disturbing the peace, obstructing pedestrian traffic nor interfering with vehicular traffic.

"It is an increasingly sad state of affairs when innocent, patriotic, concerned citizens can continuously be detained by the police, under the guise of maintaining order, but effectively, staining the democracy and freedom of expression in the country.”

He asked, “If these were pro-PNM activists, would these citizens have been arrested? Were they arrested because they were against the state of affairs under the PNM?”