ST JOHN’S, Antigua, Jun 24 2015 – Supporters of the main opposition United Progressive Party (UPP) Wednesday staged a noisy, but peaceful protest, outside a police station here claiming the law enforcement officials are being used to crack down on the opponents of the Antigua and Barbuda government.
UPP leader, Harold Lovell, who led the protestors, said it provided an opportunity for the UPP “to register its strong disapproval of the measures being taken by the Antigua Labour Party (ALP) administration to harass people who they believe may not be favourable to them and it is intended to strike fear in the hearts of all citizens”.
Earlier, the Gaston Browne administration had denied any role in the decision of the police to search the home of the former Speaker of the Parliament D. Gisele Isaac and a popular radio talk show host, Algernon “Serpent” Watts.
The police said the two are being investigated as part of an investigation into the Board of Education (BOE) initiated by Education Minister Michael Browne in August last year.
Lovell told reporters that the demonstration is not intended to deter the police from carrying out their professional duties.
“Because as a responsible opposition party we believe it is our duty to stand against these types of practices because we believe they are inimical to our healthy democracy.”
Isaac said that several items including laptops, cell phones and documents were taken from her home, after she had first been asked to report to the police station. She said she was threatened with arrest if she did not accompany the officers to her house. Further, she said, she was asked to go to her house without her lawyer to which she agreed but added, “I was not held against my will.”
Isaac was appointed Speaker of the House under the UPP administration.
