Saturday 1 August 2009

Dozens arrested as police fired tear gas and water cannon at demonstrators...

Update 22:42 PM: A total of 438 people, including 38 who are below 18 years old, were detained during the incident. Those detained included 37 women, according to Bernama.

Update 4.01pm: Calm returns to Jalan TAR

Police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse crowds that had gathered Saturday to protest against the ISA.

Police have arrested dozens of demonstrators and fired rounds after rounds of tear gas in an attempt to disperse a mass street protest against the Internal Security Act.

Thousands of police backed by riot squad officers, water cannons and helicopters cracked down at three rallying points in Kuala Lumpur - two major mosques, Masjid Negara and Masjid Jamek, and popular Sogo shopping complex.

Some 200 people had been arrested as police attempted to disperse crowds at the rallying points and prevent them from marching towards Dataran Merdeka.


Protesters at Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman - 1 August, 2009

At least 50 rounds of tear gas were fired and water cannons were directed at a crowd of around 10,000 people who gathered at Sogo.

At least 25 people were arrested there before the huge group began marching down a main thoroughfare towards the royal palace, triggering the police offensive.

Organisers said they intended to present a 10-point memo to the king including demands for the abolition of the Internal Security Act, which allows for detention without trial.

At the national mosque, at least 50 arrested, opposition legislator Siti Mariah Mahmud, from the Islamic PAS party, criticised the arrests of protesters as they attempted to enter the mosque.

"This is not reasonable. It's prayer time and this action is a breach of our religious freedom and duty," she said.

When afternoon prayers were completed, those who had managed to enter the mosque streamed out, joining a crowd of at least 5,000 which was marching towards Dataran Merdeka.

At the Sogo shopping complex further about 1.8km from Dataran Merdeka, at least 25 people arrested, triggering a cat-and-mouse game as protesters merged with shoppers before darting out and attempting to mass together. - Malaysiakini

Pictures: Courtesy of the Star

5 comments:

Lee said...

I think Najib has make a big mistake.Firing tear gas and water cannon is definitely not the way to endear him to the raayat.Not allowing the raayat to show their disapproval of the obnoxious ISA
shows clearly that he, like the maha fellow, is dictatorial and will not hesitate to show his power.Let's see how long he will last.

Anonymous said...

Thought there were two groups of demontsrators - the pro-ISA and anti-ISA.

So were the water canons directed only at the anti-ISA prote4stors?

maria a samad (kak ton) said...

Anon 10:25:00 PM

This is because organizers of the Pro-ISA rally cancelled the gathering it planned to hold at the Central Market, according to Bernama.

Its spokesman Mohd Khairul Azam Abdul Aziz decided instead to hand over a memorandum in support of the ISA to the Yang Dipertuan Agong.

Mohd Khairul, who is also the legal adviser for the Pembela Negara Federation of Non-Governmental Organisations Council (Magaran), was however arrested by the police at 7pm when he attempted to enter the Istana Negara compound to hand over the memorandum.

kita anak melayu said...

Ronnie Liu dilantik jadi mufti selangor baru, bacalah di http://kitaanakmelayu.blogspot.com

kalau oprang PAs tak sedar sedar lagi tak tahulah

wahai orang melayu semua bersatulah


http://kitaanakmelayu.blogspot.com/2009/08/ronnie-liu-mufti-baru-selangor.html

Eric said...

Bravo Malaysians.
Yesterday Malaysians of all ethnic and religious backgrounds, both genders and all skin colours, walked together on a matter of national policy. This was simply beautiful.
I was there. I saw black-clad Malaysian Chinese who shared light moments with tudung-clad Malaysian Malay ladies, brave Unit Amal members giving salt (against tear gas) to Hindraf supporters. That's why BN is so enraged. Malaysians built history together yesterday, as they did in the Hartal and the PUTERA-AMCJA people's constitution days. Malaysians have a history together, though it has been hidden to them for decades. They just proved they will build a future together!
Hidup Malaysia!

1 Black Malaysia. Democracy First. Elections Now.