A video-photographer hired by the promoters of the Luciano concert was allegedly abused and threatened by police officers when they caught him filming them as they appeared to be brutalising two patrons who attended the concert.
By Ucill CambridgeThe tape on which the man captured the alleged behaviour of the officers was confiscated by the officers.
Shane Hosein, 25, who wished that his address not be published for fear of persecution, said he was hired by the promoters of the Luciano concert held last Saturday night at Pier 2 Chaguaramas, to film the concert. Hosein said when the concert was over he put his camera in his vehicle and was driving out of the venue when he observed some interaction between two police officers and two young men.
"The officers had the two men, like you know how they do it, with their hands behind their head and everything, but they were really pushing the young men around. The men kept asking them, "officers what we do?" The officers push their hands in the men's pockets and emptied the contents. Then they began slapping the men.
"One of the men said 'but officer you breaching my rights', and at that point the officer took that young man behind a car and began to beat him. The other man started begging for his friend and he started getting slap up too."
Hosein said that by then more officers arrived on the scene.
"There was a minimum of eight officers, and they all had guns pointed at these two young men," Hosein said.
Hosein said he started filming the incident when the officers began hitting the men. He said as the interaction continued, the officer, who is well known by a nickname which suggests that he goes after people, and who appeared to be the aggressor and instigator of the attack on the men, turned and saw him .
"He shouted out at me, "What the f....you doing."
Hosein said at that point the other officers turned and saw him sitting in the car with his camera, "and about five officers rushed the car cursing at me".
Hosein said the police officers stuck a gun in his waist and in his neck, while the officer grabbed the camera.
"He was cursing and asking me what I was doing, so I told him 'well officer the man has rights'. He said to me, "You want me to breach your rights too?"
Hosein said the officer then told him, "I can give you heat! I could make you not go home!"
Hosein said to avoid the camera being destroyed he showed the officer the eject button and the officer took the tape and handed over the camera.
He said the promoter has since spoken to a police sergeant who admitted to knowing of the disposition of the aggressive officer. He promised the promoter that the tape will be returned to him by tomorrow.
The Express spoke with the Senior Superintendent for the Western Division, Lennox Gonzales, who was unaware of the incident. But when the nickname of the officer was called he said he knew him and admitted that the man was from his Division. Gonzales also promised to investigate the incident.
