Three demonstrators arrested at a Port of Spain protest organized by supporters of Kaia Sealy have been formally charged under a combination of national emergency legislation and public order laws, Trinidad and Tobago police have confirmed.
The group — protest organizer Alyssa Phillip, her mother Camille Caresquero, and prominent social media creator Jason De Silva — walked out of custody just after 8 p.m. Thursday, having spent more than 24 hours detained following the Wednesday demonstration. Following their release, each was required to post a TT$40,000 bail bond, signed by a Justice of the Peace, and ordered to make their first court appearance at a Port of Spain courthouse on Monday, law enforcement sources confirmed Friday.
Senior Superintendent Edgar Baird of the Port of Spain Police Division filed charges against Phillip and Caresquero under Regulation 11(a) of the 2026 Emergency Powers Regulations, the active legal framework put in place after a national state of emergency was declared. This regulation criminalizes any attempt to influence public opinion — whether through verbal speech or other forms of expression — in a manner deemed to threaten public safety. Violations of the emergency regulations carry harsh maximum penalties: a fine of up to TT$100,000 and five years of imprisonment.
De Silva faces a separate charge of disorderly behavior, filed by Assistant Commissioner Garvin Henry under Section 52(2) of the Summary Offences Act. This statute addresses behavior that disrupts public order in public spaces, including government buildings, police facilities and public entertainment venues. A conviction under this charge carries a maximum fine of TT$200 and two months of imprisonment.
Speaking to local outlet the Express shortly after her release Thursday night, Phillip confirmed that all three detainees had been freed and were returning to their homes. “We have been released, but I will not make any official statement until I rest and recuperate,” she told reporters. In a social media post early Friday, Phillip extended gratitude to her supporters and confirmed she planned to attend a second scheduled protest that afternoon at the Forensic Science Centre in Federation Park, as originally planned.
Law enforcement had issued a public call for protesters to adhere to legal restrictions ahead of the demonstration, urging participants to avoid violent confrontations with police officers and other members of the public.