Protester arrested; Police break up PPP protest outside Foreign Affairs

A protest in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, South Road, Georgetown Saturday morning ended with the arrest of a man for breaching the gazetted COVID-19 measures.

The Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and some of its supporters staged protest action outside the Ministry following the Government’s refusal to allow the Carter Center team to return and observe the national recount of votes.

A team of Police officers, led by a senior cop, subsequently arrived and instructed everyone to “go home.”

“This gathering is illegal. It’s unlawful during this period to be out here and I am asking you to disperse.”

“…it is a breach of the….order,” the senior cop told PPP Executive Member Priya Manickchand.

Manickhand asked the senior Policeman to identify the specific section of the gazetted order that they are in breach of.

He responded: “The part where you shouldn’t gather. You’re gathered. A crowd is gathered here. I am asking you, madam, to allow these people to go home.

“Disperse and go home,” the senior cop told Manickchand.

At this time, the protester was taken into custody but Manickchand maintained that the protesters practised the six feet social distancing measures and wore masks.

She said there are gatherings of more than 10 persons across the country but for some reason, the PPP protest was targeted.