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Police Reject Unruly Protestors
posted (September 8, 2016)

And what about the protest outside that House Meeting – which got out of hand and caused a jumpy police officer to discharge his weapon.  He told us that the cop wasn’t wrong, but there’ll be no more guns at the House Meeting:…

Allen Whylie - Commissioner of Police
"I can tell you that the house meeting when some persons wanted to give trouble and the security forces were firm in terms of apprehending some person. Mr. Brackett was quick to deny in terms of instigating or those person been a part of his group. I want to tell you that we are committed; we will maintain law and order. We will do whatever is necessary within the law to ensure there is minimal breach of the peace and indeed we are reviewing all footage that we have and where we are able to make a case against anybody, we will be pursuing those matters."

Jules Vasquez
"Will you all bring a sanction against the police officer who panicked, the one on the stairs of the national assembly who panicked and fired what we believe was a live round as a warning shot in the air when he saw some of the protesters approaching the stairs?"

Allen Whylie - Commissioner of Police
"I don't think that the police officer panicked, he was there to maintain law and order and to ensure that unauthorised person did not have access nor breach the national assembly. In his wisdom he felt that he was under attack in terms of the persons coming at him and he saw the need to fire a shot with his weapon and he did and I don't think that he should be faulted for that. What we have done since then is that we've ensured that no one takes a weapon out there at the national assembly so officers are equipped basically with their batons."

It was the first time ever that a live round was fired outside the National Assembly while it was in session.

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