THE father of activist, Jean Paul Cooper, 29 who was shot and killed by the police at his St Ann’s home on Saturday said he could not comment on how his son died as he was not there but was very proud of him and his stance against, “mandatory vaccines.”
The Express met him at the Forensic Science Centre, Federation Park.
Cooper also known as, “The Resistance,” was arrested by police in 2020 when on August 8 he set fire to the basement floor of the Park Street, Port of Spain office of the Ministry of Health.
He also spray painted, “Covid Nuh Real,” and “No to Mandatory Mask Wearing,” on the Port of Spain offices of Guardian Media Limited, St Vincent Street, Port of Spain.
He was on bail for these offences when officers of the Homicide Bureau and others went to his home at Fondes Amandes Road shortly before 5 p.m. on Saturday. Police said that he charged at them with a cutlass and they opened fire in their own defence. Police said they took him to the Port of Spain General Hospital where he was pronounced `dead on arrival.
John Colin Cooper, Cooper’s father said that his son felt that he was being targetted for his anti-vaccine stance.
He said his son stood for the defenceless in society as he was the kind of man who would win a $2,500 Play Whe mark and return home with $300 having given the rest away.
“He was a defender of the unfortunate and weak people in our society who are not able to speak out,” he said.
At Forensics he lamented that he was being punished as his son’s body had no been brought to the centre.
He claimed that this was an example of victimisation.
He said that besides activism he was also proud of his son who represented Trinidad and Tobago internationally in the field of boxing.
“Bet you did not know that,” he said.