By NALINEE SEELAL Saturday, September 13 2008

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SAFE WITH REYES: UNC MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh greets acting Deputy Police Commissioner Gilbert Reyes on his (Gopeesingh) way to Parliament. ...

FIFTEEN men, all clad in red jerseys with the PNM logo emblazoned on them, were arrested by police at Woodford Square yesterday for possess-ion of weapons, using obscene language, possession of marijuana and issuing threats.

The arrests came as a sea of PNM supporters gathered en masse at the square to show support for their leader, Prime Minister Patrick Manning, who faced a motion of no-confidence tabled in the House of Representatives by Opposition Chief Whip Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj.

The detained men clearly did not heed the warning from acting Police Commissioner James Philbert that anyone found breaking the law at Woodford Square during the gathering, would feel the full brunt of the law.

The 15 men, who yesterday were in prisoners’ cells at the Central Police Station, will appear before a Port-of-Spain magistrate on Monday.

Philbert said despite the perception that law and order were not going to be maintained, over 300 police officers were deployed at the square specifically for the gathering. He said that at no time were the police not in control and that the large crowd was easily managed and by and large, was incident free.

Philbert also made it clear that it was not under his jurisdiction to give anyone permission to gather at Woodford Square. “I do not have to give anybody permission to do anything at Woodford Square, they have to approach the Mayor of Port-of-Spain for that,” Philbert said.

He made it clear that the function of the police was to maintain law and order. “We also ensured that Members of Parliament were not harassed, threatened or molested in any way,” he added.

Philbert also had a meeting with House Speaker Barry Sinanan to ensure operations of the Parliament were not disrupted. Officers from the Guard and Emergency Branch, the Riot Squad, Port-of-Spain Task Force, Northern and North-Eastern Division Task Force and Western Division were called out to the square.

Hundreds of PNM supporters, including those working in the URP and CEPEP, were bused from all over the country to Woodford Square to show their support for Manning.

Newsday was told that the PNM as a group, did not get permission from the Mayor to gather at the square, but permission was given to a group called ‘Friends of Woodford Square’ and also for an arts and craft exhibition.