The Tribune

A POLICE vehicle was damaged during a protest near Windsor Park on Tuesday.

Police said 39 people were arrested during the short-lived protest because they did not have lawful permission to demonstrate.

“The officers questioned the purported leader to determine if there was any permission granted to conduct a protest,” a police report said.

“It was discovered that a certificate was not granted for permission to demonstrate. The crowd was asked to disperse, however, they did not comply and as a result 39 people were arrested and will be charged for unlawful assembly. During the ordeal, one of the police vehicles was damaged by a protester. As a result, that individual will be charged with the offence of damage to government property.”

The group began to gather around 9am Tuesday, intent on protesting the ‘no notice’ seven-day lockdown for New Providence imposed by Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis on Monday night. The harsher elements of the lockdown were reversed Tuesday afternoon.

The group had planned to march to Bay Street but were quickly stopped by police.

Attorney Wayne Munroe has said he plans to sue Dr Minnis in his personal capacity over the arrests of the protesters, who according to reports, were released on police bail.