The police today defended their performance at Wednesday’s PPP meeting at Victoria on the East Coast of Demerara during which several PPP supporters said they were attacked by persons professing support for the APNU.
Several of the PPP supporters appeared at a PPP press conference the following day and criticised the police handling of the situation. The police today replied to these criticisms.
A statement from the force said “Relative to statements made by Clifton Harris at a press conference hosted by the PPP/C yesterday Thursday November 17, 2011, excerpts of which were published in the print media today, to the effect that he and four other PPP/C supporters were harassed by police ranks at the Cove and John Police Station on Wednesday November 16, 2011, the Guyana Police Force categorically denies that any police rank harassed any of the five persons as claimed.
“Quite to the contrary, the police provided protective security for the five PPP/C supporters who had been allegedly attacked by supporters of another political party after a political meeting at Victoria Village, ECD, on Wednesday November 16, 2011.
“The police protected them by removing them from the scene and escorting them to the Cove and John Police Station where their reports were taken and they were requested to provide information that may lead to the arrest of their alleged assailants.
“This professional action of the police has been substantiated by Patricia Johnson, another of the persons appearing at the press conference, who is quoted as saying that she was rescued by a policewoman who placed her in a police vehicle.
“Based on the information provided, that very night police ranks went in search of the identified assailants and this continues to be done, though efforts have been unsuccessful so far.”
