PERMISSION granted by Commander Clifton Hicken for Linden residents to engage in five days of processional march on July 17, 2012 was applied for by Region 10 Chairman Sharma Solomon, who reputedly breached all the rules stipulated in a letter laying down the conditions under which the event was to have been staged.

Assistant Police Superintendent Walter Stanton, yesterday, indicated as much under cross-examination by APNU’s attorney Basil Williams. He said he had signed a letter after he had received the green light from Hicken from his office at Force Headquarters at Eve Leary, Georgetown.
Stanton told the CoI that prior to the letter, there was a meeting at the Regional Chairman’s Office, where all the details were tabled before the letter had been issued. At that meeting, ASP Stanton, Inspector Williams and Senior Superintendent Hicken, along with Regional Chairman Sharma Solomon, were all in attendance.
Giving details under cross-examination,Stanton said the march commenced at Christiansburg, and proceeded along Burnham Drive, where those in attendance started engaging the entire street.
He noted that there were two vehicles – one was equipped with a musical system which was playing music for the marchers, and the other, with the public address system on it, conducted the chants as they proceeded toward the bridge.
The numbers then increased as the procession moved along its route; and on arrival at the Mackenzie Bridge, they stopped, and refused to move to the designated place where the march was to be concluded.
Asked how many ranks were there in total on the day in question, Stanton said that aside from the half Unit from the TSU, a total of about 40 ranks were deployed for the event, and those had come from as far as the Mabura Police Outpost, Wisroc Police Outpost, Wismar Police Station, Mackenzie Police Station and the Amelia’s Ward Police Outpost.
Police attorney Hukumchand then sought clarity on the number of ranks directly under ASP Stanton’s command, and was told it was 1-8, as the other ranks were being deployed by Commander Hicken.
Asked if he had seen and spoken to any leader(s) during the procession, he said he had not, but at the time the procession arrived at the bridge, where they blocked the structure and began camping etc, Aubrey Norton, Lincoln Lewis, David Hinds and Vanessa Kissoon were there periodically.
Asked if he (ASP Stanton) and Hicken had engaged the procession leaders in any conversation with regard to protestors blocking the bridge, he said they had so done, and had been assured that the protestors would vacate the bridge.
Commission member Mr. Cecil Kennard then sought clarity on what had been taking place at the western approach to the bridge, and was told that protestors had begun blocking the approach with rocks, logs and stones, which he and his ranks started to remove, but were overwhelmed by protestors who sat to hinder the police from having the area cleared.
Other activities continued in the form of cooking and playing music, erecting tents and hammocks, and placing various obstacles to block the pathway of the bridge.
State attorney Mr. Ganesh Hira then told ASP Stanton that the Commissioner of Police had tendered a document with a list of names of ranks, and Stanton was asked if he could identify any of those names listed on the second page of the document.
Attorney Mr. Nigel Hughes then asked ASP Stanton who had given permission for the march, and was told it was Commander Hicken.
Stanton was allowed to leave the witness stand to make way for Detective Constable 18566 Jermaine Tucker, attached to the Mackenzie Police Station, who was administered the oath.
Tucker said he had been deployed to take photographs on the day in question. He detailed his activities in response to questions asked by state attorney Mr. Ganesh Hira.
Tucker said he arrived where the march was to begin, at the Christiansburg Community Centre, at about 06:30 hrs, and began taking photographs. Copies of those photographs were tendered as exhibits.
He said that he and ASP Stanton was on the route of the procession, and had witnessed the disorderly behaviour of those in the procession, as many joined as they proceeded along the route.
He explained that on approaching the Bridge from the western side, the crowd began to chant louder, being prompted by the public address system and by music supplied, even as they indicated their intentions to block the bridge.
He said he continued to take photographs, and kept close to the procession, spending hours monitoring the unfolding situation in the bridge area.
He spoke about the numerous meetings between ASP Stanton and the protestors during the period when the police were asking protestors to remove from the bridge, since occupying it was illegal; and he said that the police had sought help from the visiting protest leaders, who promised the police that the crowd would be removed in one breath, and with the other told the protestors to hold their ground, since it was going to be for a just cause.
Tucker said he was informed of a fire at the GRA building, and he left to get photos. He later got information that the Linmine Secretariat building was under fire, and he left for that location even as the sunset hampered his camera from having positive exposures.
He noted that he went to the area of the PPP/C building where they was a fire, and returned to the bridge area to be met by a power outage which lasted for about 20 minutes.
APNU attorney Mr. James Bond commenced cross-examination of Tucker by asking details about the brief blackout period. He also asked if Tucker had seen protestors from the bridge hurling bottles at the TSU unit, and if he had taken photos of that incident. His answer was no.
Police attorney Hukumchand then began cross-examining Tucker, seeking to find out if he could have seen the bridge and the ranks while he was in the compound of the Linmine Secretariat, and Tucker’s answer was no.
Commission member Ms. Dana Seetahal then sought clarity on the period and location of the power outage, and was told that the outage lasted for approximately 20 minutes and that the area affected had been the Linmine Secretariat area.
Tucker was then allowed to exit the stand, as proceedings were postponed to Monday, 15th October, when the CoI will recommence work after a week’s recess.