RESIDENTS of Sea Lots who live along the Beetham Highway, Port of Spain, said they were the victims of attacks, not the perpetrators, talking to Newsday on March 6.

At least eight residents of the close-knit community complained to Newsday they had been the victims of a barrage of bottles pelted by one or more wayward youths from Pioneer Drive, Sea Lots, on J'Ouvert morning (March 3).

On March 5, about 35 women from Pioneer Drive had complained to acting Commissioner of Police Junior Benjamin that their neighbours on the highway had allegedly been regularly slapping and robbing them whenever they pass by.

One woman said she was slapped on J'Ouvert morning as she was trying to save her son who was being attacked.

Newsday visited both communities on March 6 to try to get to the bottom of the brewing friction.

Several highway residents attested to being pelted with bottles.

"My home was like a war-zone," said one male senior citizen.

"Bottle pelted like rain in here on J'Ouvert," said another man.

Another man said, "Bottles were coming down like brimstone."

A woman said in despair, "These youths are taking it to a next level."

A middle-aged woman showed Newsday a photo of a broken window on her cellphone which she said had been damaged in the bottle attack.

A young woman in red said a window in her home had also been broken by a pelted bottle. An elderly man showed Newsday two broken bottles as evidence of the attack.

Many residents repeatedly told Newsday that their "yard" was a place of peace and love, with most people working at serious day jobs rather than pursuing fighting.

A woman in blue said, "The police do not raid here. Everybody in this yard does go to work.

"Just before Christmas, a little boy pelted a flambeau into here."

She said she had never disrespected the Pioneer Drive women, whom were supposed to be deemed "elders."

Of the 35 woman, she said, "I am sorry for them. They don't have a choice. Gang members tell them to go to the police."

The woman in red added, "This (J'Ouvert) is not the first time (that bottles were pelted at the highway residents).

"Yet they are running to the police to make a report."

She recalled a time when Pioneer Drive residents used to stop and eat in the highway residents' yard.

"We used to feed them and listen to their problems.

"There are no criminals and no guns in this yard. They really like to cry wolf."

The highway residents said a 19-year old bottle pelter had also slapped a 35-year-old man carrying a small child, in the main incident on J'Ouvert morning.

Newsday asked if the highway residents had slapped him back and the woman in blue alluded that such might have happened.

"Things happen in a snap. We are not saying we are innocent."

But she emphasised residents had not used any cutlass or gun in their response.

Another woman said, "Big women down there (Pioneer Drive) only lying. Their children are ruling them.

"The women in the (newspaper) pictures, it is their children causing the trouble. D