By LEANDRA ROLLE

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

PLP Leader Philip "Brave" Davis wants the police Cyber Crime Unit to investigate a "violent" internet meme made about him and find the persons responsible.

Mr Davis spoke out after a meme was circulated on social media showing him blowing a whistle while a gun was being held to his head. The meme was in response to comments Mr Davis made on Tuesday, when he proposed the government should provide women and children with whistles to help deter crime.

Yesterday, Mr Davis said of the meme: "It suggests an act of violence and it suggests that the FNM trolls are making light of the issue that is happening with our crime situation today. This is no joke and I think the Cyber Crime department for the Royal Bahamas (Police Force) should look into that and see where it originated and hold those persons who are accountable and responsible for it."

The Progressive Liberal Party also released a statement on the issue, criticising "FNM trolls" for publishing the meme.

"…It is an act of violence and a threat to create bodily harm which should be condemned by all right-thinking individuals," the statement read. "The FNM must publicly disassociate itself from these acts of violence. This is no time for this stuff. It is unacceptable."

When asked about it yesterday, National Security Minister Marvin Dames insisted that "threats of harm" or any sort of violence made towards anyone will not be condoned.

"Threats of death against anyone is a serious matter," he told reporters yesterday. "I would say to anyone who feel threatened or has been threatened by anybody that you should take that matter to police.

"Report it (and) have it investigated. Let the police determine where to go from there, you know I'm not going to stand here and condone these kinds of behaviours on the part of anybody and you know."

"It's not the way that we need to be going."

Suggesting that the matter warrants an investigation, Mr Dames urged the affected party member to report the incident to the police.

"I don't know the nature of the report of who it is who may be making these threatening remarks over social media but as I said before, threats of deaths or threats of harm against anyone will not be condoned and ought not be condoned," he added.

"So, I would again say to those persons who are receiving these threats to go by way of the law, report the matter and have it investigated."

Mr Davis' whistle suggestion made him the butt of jokes and backlash on social media this week. Clarifying the matter to reporters yesterday, Mr Davis said many law enforcement officials encourage women to use whistles "as an alarm" to draw public attention to their distress.

"My suggestion of a whistle was not just plucked out of thin air. If they were to research the issue of an alarm when persons are in distress, they would find that a survival kit that is given and is suggested for women to have on them, it includes a whistle," he continued.

"You check in England and the United States and they all recommend that a whistle or some sort of an alarm and that alarm equates to a whistle be included in a survivor's kit and one just need to do the research and find that that is not something that is just plucked out of the air."