Friends and supporters of Kaia Sealy are staging a “standstill protest” today in front of the Police Administration Building, Port of Spain, beginning at 3 p.m.The demonstration comes amid a dramatic twist in the police-involved killing of Sealy’s husband, Joshua Samaroo, following the issuance of arrest warrants for Sealy on charges of manslaughter and shooting with intent to harm police officers in connection with the January incident.
Investigators issued the warrants on the advice of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions after what the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) described as a “comprehensive and thorough investigation” into the incident.Activist Allysa Phillip, 25, Sealy’s close friend and organiser of the protest, told the Sunday Express yesterday that she has been receiving threats ahead of the event but remains undeterred.Phillip, a 25-year-old business owner, said notice for today’s protest was sent to the Commissioner of Police on May 21. Under Section 109 of the Summary Offences Act, 48 hours’ notice is required for a public meeting.Describing Sealy as a “single, paralysed, grieving mother”, Phillip said the protest was intended to demand accountability.She also criticised attempts by commentators to portray Sealy as a dangerous woman involved in criminal activity.“Someone messaged me saying they intend to arrest me tomorrow. I am getting threats, but I am not shaken. I am accustomed to the threats and intimidation tactics. It has been happening for the past four months, but I will not be silenced,” she said.Kaia deserves justicePhillip explained why she intends to remain vocal on the issue.“Scripture says to deliver the weak and rescue them from the wicked. Kaia is not only my friend but also someone who deserves justice. This is not the first time I am fighting for justice. It is just the first time it has gone viral or become this big. I have been doing this since I was a teenager,” Phillip said.Phillip said she has held about 14 protests since February, including demonstrations outside various police stations.“I have never given up. I have continued with the protests, although turnout was never large. Sometimes it was just four or five of us. At the last protest, it was just me, my mother and a friend, but we keep pushing and we keep it peaceful. This is a standstill protest, not a march. You don’t need permission.“I don’t want anyone to feel intimidated or scared. You have a right to protest, even during a state of emergency, but you have to do it the right way. This is a silent protest, and the notice was given 48 hours prior, which is what is prescribed by law, so I am expecting people to come out in their numbers in support against this injustice that we are seeing play out.”Phillip said Sealy is in the United States receiving treatment, which she described as “still severe”.“They are trying to paint Kaia as a hardened female criminal. Their body language did not suggest that Kaia was any danger to them. I feel disrespected as a citizen of this country because I think it is a blatant slap in the face by the systems that were put in place to protect us.“They are trying to dodge accountability and pin blame on the victim. Kaia has no plans to surrender to police at this time. She only learned through media reports that a warrant had been issued for her arrest. She remains under medical care as doctors continue to monitor the severity of her injuries,” Phillip said.“We will stage a peaceful meeting today. The purpose is to show that we are not going to turn a blind eye to the truth. We believe what we saw. We are seeing blatant corruption unfolding before our eyes, and it is not right.“Kaia doesn’t deserve this. She is already grieving, already healing from severe injuries, and now she has to deal with clearing her name while knowing she is innocent,” Phillip said.Kaia happy to be alivePhillip said she remains in close contact with Sealy and recently spoke with her.“We cried and I prayed with her. She is happy to be alive. Kaia’s faith is actually one of the main reasons I keep pushing. If she can go through all of this and still have faith, then I think the nation should also have hope that a positive outcome will come.“Just a few months ago, she was relieved when she heard the police were going to be charged. Now she is facing a complete reversal of the official narrative by the authorities, moving from initially investigating the police officers to now targeting the surviving victim,” Phillip said.Phillip said the actions of the police officers involved did not match the allegation that Sealy had fired at officers.“The way the police approached the vehicle was inconsistent with the claim that Kaia shot at them. If that were true, they would have taken cover or used some sort of shield. Their behaviour suggested their mission was to execute, not protect their lives.”She also believes public opinion has shifted following recent developments in the case.“Firstly, they said Joshua was the shooter. Now the story has changed and they are saying Kaia was the shooter. They need a scapegoat, and the nation is seeing this clearly. I think it is unfair for police to investigate themselves because it leaves room for cover-ups, lies, finger-pointing and a lack of accountability,” she said.Phillip also called on Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to publicly address the situation.“We are tired of the hide-and-seek game. Come out and speak publicly on what is taking place in our nation, on the state of emergency, and on the crime situation. Too many innocent lives are being lost,” Phillip said.
