(Trinidad Express) “A well-orchestrated plan to destabilise the country” but it failed.
This was how yesterday’s protests and the end result were described by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS).
In a news release, the TTPS assured the public that the police force was in full control with 72 persons arrested up to last night.
According to the TTPS, the protests were an orchestrated plan led by “several gang members” to use the shooting of the three young men a few days ago, as a front to cover the planned plot to shut down the country.
“This was a well-orchestrated plot by certain gang leaders in the hope to get national support, when they commenced their plan to cause mayhem, fear, and destruction throughout the country.
“This was wishful thinking, as it has only exposed who the real enemy is, when the nation saw it for themselves, via the plan to destabilise the country, and put law-abiding citizens in harm’s way,” the release stated.
“The plan to shut down the country involved setting fire to certain places, from along the Beetham to Port of Spain, and when police officers arrived, they would be fired upon.
“The plan was to kill police officers and to shoot up police stations. These same criminal elements used the opportunity yesterday and again this morning, to rob law-abiding citizens.
“It was to continue with wild random shots to be fired throughout the country to cause further havoc. This included shots being fired at the Office of the Attorney General, which was actually done. On several occasions, shots were also fired at police officers in different parts of the city. The plot was to also block roads in the hope that it would shut down the country,” the release read.
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However, the release said despite this, the plan “failed miserably” and all disturbances were quelled within minutes of the commencement of the plan.
Griffith, it was stated, co-ordinated the operational response at the Commissioner’s Command Centre, along with the Deputy Commissioners of Police, McDonald Jacob and Jayson Forde.
“The Command Centre provided real-time information of every incident within seconds of the commencement, via reports from the Operational and Intelligence Units, as well as real-time video footage from the CCTV system and the cameras on the ERP vehicles.
“The CCTV footage was able to see in real-time, every incident, of certain gang members lighting fire to tyres and throwing debris and even overturning vehicles to block roads throughout Port of Spain and environs, upon which the TTPS was able to immediately send operational units, inclusive of units in the PoS, North Eastern and Western Divisions, as well as the IATF, MOPS, GEB, SORT, and the Mobile Extraction Prisoner vehicle, to quell the disturbance, and disperse or arrest those breaking the law.