Police Commissioner Gary Griffith has spoken out against what he describes as a group of people using the front of the Black Lives Matter movement, to drive their personal issues with police. 

His statement comes on the heels of Monday’s protest at the Queen’s Park Savannah, opposite the US Embassy, where hundreds gathered to stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement which picked up momentum following the killing of Minnesota man George Floyd by a now-ex US police officer on May 25.

Affirming that he fully supports the movement, Griffith, during a press conference on Tuesday, said while many of those who came out yesterday did so with a genuine heart for the cause, it  is his view that mixed in with the crowd were those who had an axe to grind with the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service.

“They started breaching the social distancing, I was very flexible- they did not wear masks- I continued to say nothing. They stayed past the 4pm mark, I said nothing. So they kept trying to find an avenue to see what could be done to try to see if the police could do something,” he said, clarifying that he believed the organizers of the event were not to be blamed for the actions of a minority who showed up.

While Monday’s protest was given the green light by Griffith before hand, he said the request stated that no more than five people were expected. Moving forward he reminded that requests for protests of any kind must get the permission of the Commissioner of Police.

“It is not than anyone is trying to be high-handed but this is the law. If for example there are two opposing views- different organizations and they decide to just turn up at the same time, there can be confrontation,” he said.

Monday’s protest was largely peaceful with the exception of heated exchanges between some protesters and police, with the crowd chanting at one point for officers not to film them without their consent.