Today, the T&T Guardian publishes a series of photographs of a robbery at the Queen's Park Savannah on Carnival Tuesday afternoon.
Most of the photos were sent to us by a Guardian reader, who wishes to remain anonymous for reasons of personal safety. Two were taken by Guardian photographer Edison Boodoosingh.The T&T Guardian passed on the photos to the Port-of-Spain Criminal Investigations Department. ASP Ajith Persad promised that investigations would commence immediately.
The robbery occurred around 3.40 pm while Legacy was crossing the Savannah stage. They show a large group of young men first violently robbing two people who appear to be tourists, and then just as violently attacking one of Legacy's security guards when he tried to intervene.
The eyewitness who recounted the incident to us said, "It was a shameful display by our security forces, who responded so slowly as to be almost guilty of being accomplices. There was absolutely no response from the Grand Stand security. The police were called multiple times by the band's music truck, and only towards the end of the episode did three officers start sauntering toward the scene.
"If there was any type of police response, they could have easily cordoned off the Grand Stand area and easily apprehended the gang, who were in the centre of the secured area. The episode lasted at least three minutes, which was more than sufficient time for a police response.
"Some gang members were actually able to change clothing, and one went off the scene chipping with a girl, while others impersonated the average bystander, walking, jumping and enjoying the Carnival scene.
"During the robbery episode, the music trucks continued playing and masqueraders continued grinding down. "It was a truly shameful episode for our country, not to mention the trauma for the couple who was robbed, with the woman trying in vain to defend her companion while he was beaten by an entire gang of men, with his head bleeding."
Browse the full photo gallery here:http://bit.ly/XYevQw