Public cheers on, Police uses teargas!

The series of protests which started with the arrests of Gaumee Party Vice President Mohamed Jameel Ahmed on accusations of spreading baseless information and Chief Judge of Criminal Court Abdulla Mohamed continued last night as well.

Unlike other nights, last night the Police had blocked the parking zone in front of MMA which was the designated protest area. The two roads leading to this region from the local market area had also been blocked by barricades with Police lining up behind them.

When it was time to start the protest, neither a large group of protesters nor a large Police force were observed at the scene. Nonetheless the STAR Force was ready and waiting at Jumhoori Maidhaan, on the wall at the corner facing MMA.

The scene changed at around 9.45pm. Crowds gathered, and the leaders of opposition groups began to arrive. They gave speeches one by one, and when PPM Parliamentary Group Member Ahmed Nihan commenced his speech, Police’s actions became hasty. More Police lined up near the barricades and the STAR Force stood up.

Criticising the government, Nihan said that the area in which protesting is prohibited is Jumhoori Maidhaan, and that that is due to an existing law. Therefore every Maldivian has the right to protest in front of MMA, and the Police should not act as an obstruction to this right.

With this speech by Nihan, the Police began to ask people to leave the area. However Nihan asked participants of the protest to move forward and closer to MMA.

Without much intervention from the Police, the protesters followed Nihan’s instructions and stopped in front of MMA. As the Police took a step back to make way, protesters even took the barricades and arranged them in front of the Police line up. They then continued with the protest.

First they cheered the Police for making way for them. Calls for the resignation of President Nasheed, Commissioner of Police Ahmed Faseeh and Home Minister Hassan Afeef came after wards.

“We request for the opportunity to go and meet with Commissioner of Police Ahmed Faseeh. We beg of the Police to give us this opportunity,” Nihan said.

From this point, the Police began to ask the protesters to move back to where they were before. Protest leaders were advising the public to remain where they are - to neither move back nor move further than the “permitted” area. They also asked them to sit down in order to avoid confrontation.

Having repeatedly warned the protesters, the Police commanded the STAR Force to go into action. Even though the Police came forward, the public remained quiet and peaceful, and several people even moved backwards. The result was that even though the Police were among the protesters, no arrests were made just yet.

Even when the Police climbed onto the protesters’ vehicle equipped with loudspeakers, protesters were heard chanting, “hurrah Maldives Police, hurrah Maldives Police.”

While the cheering went on, the Police left the crowd and lined up once again.

The Police asked the crowd to leave the area immediately, however, the people continued to cheer for the Police. Nihan asked the Police repeatedly why the protesters are being asked to leave.

Things changed with the arrival of Gaumee Party Council Member Sandhaan Ahanmaidhy, who stood near the Police Officer giving instructions, and began reading out loud the article in the Constitution which relates to the freedom to protest and freedom of expression.

Two Police Officers with smiles on their faces asked Sandhaan Ahanmaidhy to leave the area. Ahanmaidhy, however, continued to read from the Constitution.

Ahanmaidhy was holding up the Constitution with one hand when the Police arrested him and took him away towards the Police Headquarters.

Having issued the last warning to the protesters, the Police geared up to use teargas. Cheering for the Police could be heard even then.

By the time the cheering faded away, the entire area was covered in tear gas. Exactly how many canisters were thrown by the Police is unknown. Several canisters were caught by the protesters and thrown back at the Police.

The Police were seen to run after several protesters. At this stage, stones, vegetables, fruits and water bottles were used by the protesters to attack the Police. Two people were observed to lay in the middle of the area long after it was deserted. It is not known if they had been injured or chose to lie there. A Police Officer was caught kicking a teargas canister at them, and when he saw cameras pointed at him, he took the canister and threw it away from the two people.

Even the people on the fishing boats were affected by the teargas and were wiping their eyes as the whole area fell into unrest.

Two Police vehicles chased the people who walked inwards on Chaandhanee Magu, however, they walked at a fast speed towards Majeedhee Magu, onto Alikilegefaanu Magu and once again, towards MMA area.

As before, the Police had blocked the entrance to this region from the local market area. Mahloof, who was leading the protest, advised people to remain two feet away from the Police barricades peacefully. The public complied and remained so.

The “ready to charge” command was heard about twice, and the Police clad in riot gear began moving forward towards the protesters while banging their mallets on the ground. And without any warning whatsoever, they began chasing the protesters.

While some people ran for their lives, others attacked the Police using stones, tiles and glass bottles. One Officer was taken away in an ambulance while another’s arm was cut by glass. Having run a certain distance, the Police slowed down; however, there was no end to the stones being thrown at the Police. It stopped when the Police ran after them for a second time. This time around, several arrests were made. It was later known that those arrested then as well as Sandhaan Ahanmaidhy were taken to Dhoonidhoo detention prison.

The Police broke up the protest, while people were still cheering for them, with the use of tear gas and by arresting several people. It was later known that the National Security Forces arrested several individuals who remained in the area.