Group of people gather near the Police Headquarters and President

A group of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) activists have gathered near the Headquarters of the Maldives Police Service at Shaheed Hussain Adam Building, and the President’s Office, “demanding to be arrested”.

Reportedly, they are wearing cable ties.

A Police media official confirmed that those people are MDP activists. He said that they had penetrated through police barrier lines near the Bank of Maldives main branch office. He said that legal action would be taken against them.

Around 7:14 pm, some of the protesters were arrested, when they defied police orders and attacked the ranks of police and tried to penetrate them again.

The Police told the protesters several times to leave the place, saying that “the area is one in which protesting is prohibited”. The police also warned that “legal action would be taken against any persons who refuse to comply with lawful orders”.

MDP activists have been creating havoc in Malé, the Capital City of the Maldives, after its leader Mohamed Nasheed resigned from presidency on the 7th of last month. Mohamed Nasheed was forced to resign, when the Maldives Police Service and the Maldives National Defence Force ultimately refused to carry out Nasheed’s unconstitutional and unlawful orders. Since then, MDP has carried out acts of violence and arson unprecedented in the history of nation.

On the 1st of this March, MDP parliamentarians obstructed President Dr. Waheed from delivering the annual State of the Nation Address. They also hindered the Majlis from beginning its third session. President Dr. Waheed had to wait for some 10 hours at the Majlis, before the Speaker decided that the session had to be delayed due to the acts of MDP parliamentarians. Meanwhile, MDP activists, forming large crowds, attacked police units barricading passageways leading towards Majlis House for security reasons, and perpetrated violence and injured 14 police officers, 4 of whom suffered serious injuries.

Many believe that MDP is determined not to give the new Government of Dr. Waheed the time and space to tell the people about widespread corruption and unlawful dealings conducted by them during the 3 years of their rule, from November 2008 to February 2012.