By Staff Writer
A small group of protesters were kept about 50 meters away from the front of the Mulinu’u Court House this morning by the police.
Many were wearing the red colours of the FAST political party.
A few were seen carrying placards critical of the Head of State and the Prime Minister to offer some indication of what the protest was about.
A few breakaway members of the group tried to make their way into the Court House but were stopped by the police just meters away from the front steps.
The Judiciary is presiding over several election matters this week and the protesters may have been trying to take advantage of national interest by targeting the Court House.
The protest is the first real display of any agitating public reaction staged at a sensitive time for Samoa with the uncertainties over the outcome of the last general elections.
Police quick response underscored the delicate state of political stability in Samoa.
Carloads of police were rushed in for urgent crowd control duties to prevent protesters from disrupting the work of the court this morning.
The Commissioner Fuiavailili Egon Keil and Deputy Commissioner Auapaau Logoitino Filipo highlighted the high level of police alert by being on the scene in civilian wear
DC Auapaau was seen in active duty when he prevented some of the protesters from trying to cross into the Court House.
Commissioner Fuiavailili watched the protest from the shades of the Court House.
The Ministry of Justice, Chief Executive Officer, Ms Moliei Simi Vaai, joined him.
The Head of State, His Highness Tuimaleali’ifano Va’aleto’a Sualauvi II, decreed on Tuesday for fresh elections.
The order followed careful review of the general elections 26-seat deadlock results and the consequences of an unstable Government.
Samoa returns to the election polls in just over 2-weeks times on the Friday 21 May 2021.