ST. JOHN’S, Antigua and Barbuda – October 22, 2026
A day after a high-profile arrest at a public town hall event sparked widespread public speculation, the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda has stepped forward to set the record straight on the circumstances surrounding the detention of Washington Bramble.
Bramble was taken into custody Wednesday evening during a community gathering held at the John E. St. Luce Finance and Conference Centre, a location that drew hundreds of local residents and political observers for the scheduled town hall. Within hours of the arrest, unconfirmed reports and social media speculation began circulating that linked the detention to Bramble’s participation in the public meeting, leading to growing questions about potential political interference in police work.
In an official media statement released Thursday through the force’s Office of Strategic Communications, law enforcement leadership pushed back firmly against these claims. The Police Administration stressed that Bramble’s arrest had absolutely no connection to his attendance or involvement in the town hall discussion. Instead, the action was rooted in an active, ongoing investigation into an incident that previously took place in the Grays Farm area of the country.
Police officials added that law enforcement teams had made multiple attempts over a period of time to locate and bring Bramble in for questioning tied to the Grays Farm case, but all of those prior efforts had been unsuccessful. The opportunity to take him into custody during his appearance at the town hall was simply a matter of locating a person of interest that investigators had been searching for, authorities said.
Beyond clarifying the specific details of Bramble’s arrest, the Royal Police Force reaffirmed its core commitment to upholding public safety across Antigua and Barbuda for all citizens and permanent residents. The statement emphasized that effective policing depends heavily on partnership between law enforcement and the communities it serves, calling on residents to continue supporting and cooperating with officers as they carry out their legal responsibilities.
As the investigation into the original Grays Farm matter continues, police have indicated that no further details will be released at this time to protect the integrity of the ongoing inquiry.