Police outline new SOE protest restrictions

Assistant Commissioner of Police Curt Simon says new regulations under the State of Emergency prohibit public protests and demonstrations within 500 metres of 15 specified locations across Trinidad and Tobago.

Speaking during a news conference at the Police Administration Building this afternoon, Simon referred to Legal Notice No. 40 of 2026, which outlines the new restrictions.

He said the measure was intended to protect citizens and public spaces during the ongoing SOE.

“So, I want to bring your attention Trinidad and Tobago to Legal Notice Number 40 of 2026 and it’s really in a bid to protect you, our public, to protect our public spaces, to protect our citizenry at large,” Simon said.

He explained that the order establishes designated restrictions around several key government and security locations where protests cannot take place.

“The order may be cited as the Emergency Powers (Prohibition of Public Protests and Demonstrations) Order 2026,” Simon said.

He added that under the regulations, “a person who is participating in a public protest demonstration shall not be at or within 500 metres of premises and curtilage of a place specified in the schedule.”

Simon listed the affected locations as the Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the Office of the President, the Office of the Prime Minister, the Diplomatic Centre, the Office of the Attorney General, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Homeland Security, the headquarters of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, the headquarters of the Trinidad and Tobago Prison Service, the headquarters of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Piarco International Airport, the ANR Robinson International Airport and the Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago.

He stressed that the regulations do not ban members of the public from entering or passing near those areas.

“It does not say that you are not allowed to venture into these places. It does not say that you are not allowed to pass near these places. It is just saying that you are not allowed to participate in public protest demonstrations within the curtilage of these places and we give a space of 500 metres,” Simon said.