ST. JOHN’s, Antigua – OPPOSITION LEADER Lester Bird and his six Antigua Labour Party (ALP) colleagues have plead not guilty to charges of violating the Public Order Act.

Bird, his Deputy Gaston Browne, General Secretary Mary Claire Hurst, Vere Bird Jr, Molwyn Joseph, Jim Galloway and the head of the ALP Youth Arm, Sharon Kentish, appeared in court on Monday (May 18) to formally hear the charges brought against them.

All seven have denied that they addressed a public meeting without having permission to do so.

Caribbean 360 reports that the charges stem from an incident on Labour Day (May 4). At a rally staged by the Antigua Trades and Labour Union (ATLU), ALP members stormed the stage and proceeded to address the crowd.

The two entities had disagreed leading up to the event due to the ATLU’s insistence that it did not want any political figures speaking on its platform. However, the ALP maintained that Bird and other members would speak, regardless of ATLU wishes.

Police Commissioner Thomas Bennett had granted permission for only those persons the ATLU had indicated would be speaking at the rally. This did not include Bird and his ALP colleagues.

The trial will be held from July 6 to 8.