Protester to appear in court

South Bureau
Friday, June 12th 2009
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_news?id=161489912

THE 42-year-old man who allegedly climbed into the tray of a van during protest action while Prime Minister Patrick Manning was visiting La Brea on Wednesday is expected to appear in court today.

The man, an activist from Arima, is charged with malicious damage and malicious assault. It is alleged he injured an occupant of the van when he smashed the vehicle's window. It was believed the van was transporting La Brea Member of Parliament Fitzgerald Jeffrey. Damage was said to be $10,000.

Manning was at the Union Industrial Estate attending the launch of the power plant, which is to supply the Alutrint aluminium smelter plant with power.

The protesters have been protesting for the past three weeks over being relocated because of the plant. They also voiced concerns over the health issues they said are linked to the plant. -Nikita Braxton