The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe issued a stern warning yesterday to people attempting to engage with law enforcement.

His comments follow the circulation of a video on social media, showing a police officer engaged in a scuffle with a few young men.

The police and a young man dressed in black apparel are seen tussling. In response, bystanders attempt to intervene, while others are seen running away from the altercation. Another officer is present at the scene in the video.

In the video, someone is heard shouting: “He will shoot him! He will shoot him!”

In response, Mr Munroe said: “Citizens have a choice - if the police approach you and speak with you, you could decide to become belligerent and manners can escalate to that point and to be quite frank, you may have a point because there a bunch of cases that speak about whether you have rights to do this, that or the next.

“In this country, if you see people physically fighting police officers, let’s assume that they say they suspect them of having drugs or firearms. The men would have no way of knowing what’s the basis about the suspicion, but if you take it upon yourself to not simply ask them, what’s the basis of your suspicion?

“If they determined to illegally arrest or detain you, the courts are there for you to go get your rights vindicated and get damages from the state. Or you could decide to get in an open fight with a policeman and if as a country we find that as an acceptable way to vindicate rights, then we really are in trouble.”

The men involved are said to be in police custody.