Facing mounting criticism over the arrest of social activist Alyssa Phillips during Friday's Labour Day celebrations in Fyzabad, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) today mounted a robust legal defence of its actions, arguing that officers acted within the law to protect the integrity of an authorised public procession.

In an lengthy three-page statement issued by its Corporate Communications Unit, the TTPS relied on provisions of the Summary Offences Act and a recent High Court judgment to justify the arrests of Phillips and another woman, Camille Caresquero.

The statement comes amid a national debate over the arrests, which have divided public opinion and placed the police service under renewed scrutiny at a time when public confidence in law enforcement remains fragile.