Four people have been arrested following violent clashes with police near the house of Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim on Sunday night.
At around 12:45am a group of protesters left the ongoing Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) demonstration at the tsunami monument and headed towards Republic Square.
Police had blocked most routes to the republican square blocked with barricades and officers with riot shields by the time demonstrators arrived.
A group of 200 protesters began gathering near the Velaanaage office building and a further group of 150 near Traders Hotel, although there was no indication of violence. More protesters began to gather against police barricades near the coastguard building.
Around 1:15 am protesters reportedly headed towards Chaandhanee Magu and Orchid Magu Junction near the Reefside Shop. When Minivan News arrived police and MNDF had blocked the route to Republican square, but no protesters showed up.
Instead, a group of protesters had gathered near the defence minister’s residence in Maafannu ward near the Nalahiya Hotel.
An eyewitness told Minivan News that police clashed with a group of youths outside the hotel.
“The violence was very bad,” he said. “Only a few police came to the area. The crowd was throwing big stones [at the police]. The squad was split and had to retreat. ”
A police vehicle at the scene was damaged and had its windscreen smashed.
Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam said a police vehicle was damaged and 4-5 officers sustained injuries, none of them serious.
“The situation is controllable. Some people in the crowd became violent,” he said, adding that four arrests were made.
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