00:00Speaking during a media briefing at the Police Administration Building in Port of Spain today,
00:06Deputy Commissioner of Police Junior Benjamin and Assistant Commissioner of Police Kurt Simon
00:10said the new restrictions on where protests can take place were intended to protect critical state infrastructure,
00:18members of the public, as well as law enforcement officers.
00:22Simon said the new regulations were contained in Legal Notice No. 40,
00:26titled The Emergency Power's Prohibitation of Public Protests and Demonstration Orders 2026.
00:35There have been some new regulations coming out to add to what already exists as it relates to the state
00:43of emergency.
00:44Simon said the order prohibited persons participating in public protests or demonstrations
00:50from being within 500 meters of 15 specified locations across the country.
00:55He listed the Parliament, the Office of the President, the Office of the Prime Minister,
01:02the Diplomatic Center, the Office of the Attorney General,
01:06the Ministries of Finance, Defense, and Homeland Security,
01:11the Headquarters of the Police Service, Prison Service, and Defense Force,
01:16the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions,
01:18the Piaco International Airport,
01:21the A&R Robinson International Airport,
01:24and the Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago.
01:28These places, it does not say that you are not allowed to venture into these places.
01:33It does not say that you are not allowed to pass near these places.
01:36It is just saying that you are not allowed to participate in public protest demonstrations
01:43within the cartilage of these places, and we gave a space of, what, 500 meters.
01:50Simon said police understood the concerns being expressed by members of the public,
01:55but noted that matters surrounding ongoing protests were before the courts.
01:59We do understand what is happening in the country with regards to your feelings towards certain matters
02:08that are now in the public space, and these matters are indeed before the courts of Trinidad and Tobago.
02:15And whilst we respect your right, your right to protest,
02:20we ask that you also understand that we are here to police,
02:24and to police fairly, and to police justly,
02:26to police within the ambits of the laws of Trinidad and Tobago.
02:31Deputy Commissioner of Police Junior Benjamin also defended the regulations,
02:35saying the restricted areas were considered sensitive locations
02:39tied to national security and law enforcement operations.
02:43When these decisions are made, all right,
02:46it is made in the best interest of Trinidad and Tobago.
02:50When we recognize that there are key areas,
02:53and again, you recognize that it's not just one area,
02:57even in the regulation, and even though it was not stated,
03:03you will see that it is key places,
03:05because you will have the police headquarters,
03:09and you will have all police stations.
03:11You will have the prison,
03:13and you talk about, even in the defense force,
03:16all the barracks, etc.
03:19Benjamin said the restrictions were implemented
03:22to reduce the likelihood of disturbances near sensitive institutions.
03:27So they looked at all the different areas where, again,
03:31police officers or law enforcement would be.
03:34We also looked at where, you know, parliamentary persons would be,
03:39persons of interest, and therefore it was a holistic,
03:43I think, appreciation in terms of understanding these are sensitive areas,
03:48and therefore if persons are going to have protests,
03:52what they are saying is that we respect the rights for protests,
03:56but there must be at least a distance
03:59where you must be away from these places.
04:01Benjamin noted that the legal notice,
04:04which is now in force,
04:05came out before Wednesday's protest actions.
04:09Alexander Broussoul, TV6 News.
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