Former Sint Maarten lawmaker and brother arrested on suspicion of assault

Former Sint Maarten minister and parliament member Omar Ottley and his brother were arrested Friday on suspicion of assault in connection with a conflict during Carnival celebrations in April.

The arrests came almost simultaneously with word that another parliament member, Francisco Lacroes, was ejected from a restaurant in Simpson Bay on Thursday after arguing with another guest and the restaurant owner. Police responded after Lacroes refused to leave the premises.

Ottley is the latest in a series of parliamentarians implicated in violent incidents on the island. The investigation by the National Detective Agency into Ottley is led by the Public Prosecutor's Office. Police are separately investigating the case against his brother.

On Monday, parliament members Ardwell Irion, a former minister, and Dimar Labega got into a physical fight during a meeting in Philipsburg after a heated verbal exchange. The altercation drew widespread attention on social media. Labega has publicly apologized.

In March, the Public Prosecutor's Office opened an investigation into parliament member Raeyhon Peterson for his alleged involvement in a separate fight. Social media images show Peterson and others assaulting a man, with a firearm allegedly used to strike the victim.