Pro-police politician Wayne Perinchief has slammed officers for seizing a work of art.

And he said the former Assistant Police Commissioner said the Service was in danger of tackling soft crime and letting worse offences go unpunished.

The painting by Manual Palacio was seized this week as he displayed it at his Harbour Nights booth after someone complained it was obscene.

The picture depicts an naked couple embracing.

Mr. Perinchief told the House of Assembly he was concerned important human rights were being violated.

He said: "Someone complained about it being obscene. This work had been exhibited quite extensively throughout Bermuda and had received accolades.

"The action of the Police strikes at the very basis of freedom of expression something enshrined in the constitution. Freedom of expression didn't come lightly to Bermuda."

He said in the 1960s police were confiscating books including the Anarchist's Cook Book, Chairman Mao's Little Red Book and Lady Chatterley's Lover.

"I made it a project to read every one. Why am I raising this issue? Is it the tip of the iceberg, the thin end of the wedge to imposing censorship.

"We must all be on guard to protect certain freedoms.

"I feel if there is a test for obscenity then it must be specific test. It's subjective at best.

"If this work was to be seized, a case should have been made beforehand to say this particular work of art is obscene.

"I have always been a person who has spoken up for the Police. "But the Police should be dealing with serious matters."

He said he had attended the Harbour Nights festivities in St. George's where he had become concerned about large gangs of youths.

He said: "There were a group of young people acting inappropriately and there were a number of Police acting inappropriately in that they did very little to abate an escalating problem.

"I am not blaming the Police individually, all of them were young and probably inexperienced."

He said higher ranking Police officers needed to take a lead and be pro-active in stamping out gang behaviour.

And Mr. Perinchief said if young people were disciplined for minor offences early on they would not start escalate their criminal activity.

He said: "If you spare the rod you spoil the child. I am talking to the Commissioner and I am sure he will get it soon."