The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

POLICE Commissioner Paul Rolle said police are investigating a video that appears to show Progressive Liberal Party supporters threatening violence towards a man.

In the 28-second clip, a man wearing a PLP shirt grabs a man in a T-shirt and takes him across the street towards a building.

The man recording the video says: “Bring him here, he want tear poster, bring him in the back of the yard.

“You know what does happen when you tear PLP poster? We catch one tearing a poster. Let’s go in the back, bey, let’s go in the back. Let’s put him in the corner, carry him in the private room [sic].”

PLP chairman Fred Mitchell, the party’s candidate for Fox Hill, declined to comment yesterday.

FNM chairman Carl Culmer, meanwhile, was quick to link the actions of the men to the opposition party.

“I’m concerned with that kind of behaviour but it shows what the PLP leadership is all about and it reflects what if by some miracle they win the election their leadership they would display,” Mr Culmer said.

“We would have gangsters running the country. I’m baffled and amazed that neither the leader nor the chairman has come out to say anything or to separate themselves from that behaviour. It’s disgraceful and they seem to support that kind of behaviour in the community which is not good for running the country.”

Since Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis announced an early election, posters, billboards and lawn signs have flooded the streets of New Providence, annoying many.

Another video was circulated on social media over the weekend showing three men — who did not appear to be dressed in any party paraphernalia — ripping up PLP lawn signs and removing a billboard bearing the image of PLP leader, Philip “Brave” Davis. One of the men also appeared to be removing an FNM poster.

In a statement yesterday, Commissioner Rolle said: “It was brought to the attention of the commissioner of police that some persons are deliberately destroying party paraphernalia posted throughout the city. These are permitted during election time as political parties campaign. The commissioner wishes to remind the public that it is an offence to interfere with or destroy party paraphernalia and persons caught doing so will be prosecuted.

“The Bahamas is a democratic country that is governed by the rule of law, where its citizenry show respect for those laws, life and personal property. Accordingly, the commissioner implores the leaders of all political parties to encourage their supporters to exercise restraint during this time and to respect the process and not destroy or remove their opponent’s paraphernalia, but to notify the police whenever and wherever they observe persons doing so.”

Commissioner Rolle said he has established an election investigation unit that will investigate all matters relating to the general election.