Police arrested 13 people after clashing with demonstrators at the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s ongoing protest early on Wednesday morning.
The MDP accused police of vandalising the MDP’s protest camp near the tsunami monument and attacking the party’s supporters at 2:45am in the morning.
However police have said they were pursuing a a group of young people on motorcycles who had attacked police buildings that evening, before retreating to the MDP camp
An MDP supporter who witnessed the incident told Minivan News that the police arrived after a group of young people opened a ‘Youth Jagaha’ near the tsunami monument, and then left on motorcycles to ride around the streets.
“They apparently vandalised some police stations during the motorbike ride, and then the police came and attacked the protest camp,’’ he said. ‘’Police destroyed our podium in the area and the sound system, as well as chairs and other property,’’ he claimed.
One young person was thrown into the sea wall and was subsequently taken to hospital.
Police said a group of men armed with knives vandalised police stations in Male’, threatening officers in the traffic police station with knives and destroying a computer monitor. The group also threatened officers inside the Police Iskandhar Koshi.
Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam told Minivan News that police had followed the group to the area on the side of the tsunami monument park furthest from the MDP camp, near the army medical centre, where they had been attacked.
“Police called for backup and by the time the pickup arrived, people were there with stones,” Shiyam said. “When police entered the [camp] to arrest the suspects forcefully, everyone in the area became hostile to police. There was a huge confrontation,” he added.
Several police officers sustained injuries, none serious, he said. Police arrested 13 people and withdrew from the area.
“This was a very serious thing and we are sad that it happened,” Shiyam said. “We have no interest in doing anything [to the MDP camp], and we don’t want to have a confrontation. But people are coming out of the area, committing acts of violence, and going back there to hide, which is not something to be accepted.”
Police had asked organisers of the protest to take responsibility for the actions of those gathered there, he added.
MDP supporters have held an ongoing protest near the tsunami monument, dubbing it ‘justice square’, following the resignation of former President Mohamed Nasheed in what they contend was a coup d’état.
MDP supporters have been sleeping and gathering in the area since Nasheed’s resignation, reportedly under duress.
The party has meanwhile released pictures of injured protesters and vandalism of the square.
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Definitely a stunt pulled by 'Bodu vagu' Yameen!! MDP supporters must avoid such setups!!
MDP is controled by thugs!!! Rekko Moosa and Mariya Didi are the gang masters! Nasheed was distroyed by these two gang leaders! MDP needs to reform or be dismantled! Mariya and her family is root cause of MDP down fall!
I guess Waheed must learn a lesson. He cannot unleash his police to silence the opposition to his rule.
revengeful politics leads to further revenge when either party least desires it. MDP is asking for what has been mandated. nothing less nothing more. So, when a presidential term is denied to MDP there is no justice in polity and constitutional rights. that is a clear case of might is right. Cutting presidential term short at will by armed forces means rule of armed forces rather than rule of law. This is the most dangerous precedent this government has set for their own ruin and that of the constitution. This government could be steered clear of usurping of power in the middle of presidential term. This is a constutional wound to be healed only through elections. waiting till 2013 is nothing but preparing the ground for landslide to MDP with a weakened government partnership. Only now government can mount a challenge to MDP as a unified front and delay till 2013 could be poltical suicide for years to come.
Golhabo n family knows the best way to deal with protesters is to physically hurt them until they almost die.
MDP protesters are sleeping there peacefully when this gang operated by 'Bodu vagu' Yameen sabotaged the police out posts.... There was no reason MDP supporters get involved in this at a time when so many criticise them for such things..... These same stories of 'Bodu vagu' Yameen funding gangs in Addu city is spreading too... Gangs like 'Forland' in Addu city is being paid by the country's 'Bodu vagu' to run his uncivilzed operations..... 'sirraa' , 'jabaa' 'saadhaage moosa' are all 'Bodu vagu' Yameen's agents in Addu City.... sorry I forgot to mention Mayor Hussein Solih.....
We are afraid but we will not give up.
Gangs operated by the willy Yameen doing the dirty work and creating an atmosphere of anarchy for the sake of Mohamed Nasheed and gang, to put pressure on the Gov of Waheed and prevent prosecution for and exposure of the corruption cases committed by their respective syndicates hand in hand with each other to rob the common people!In short,create a state of fear and terror and thus disrupt the free and independent work of the police and the judiciary using the excuse of national security and create a safe haven for corrupt,rich politicians and businessmen on either side, who are the real traitors to this country and its people.
A group of people who can stage a coup can easily stage such a drama. Like this is how it happens. Every Police station has CCTV near or in its vicinity.How can we believe this. Police can brutally attack so many people while they cant catch a gang running with knives, and that also being coerced in to the area where protesters are present. Now we know who controls gangs in Male'. This is the tactics used by corrupt Mexican Police Paid by drug lords when they want to intimidate and punish innocent people. All in the name of law and justice.
THIS IS A SET UP! ANY ONE CAN SEE THAT . SHYAM!.... SHYAM!.... DID YOU ORGANISE THIS SO THAT SOME YOUTHS DO THIS VANDALISM AND THEN YOU GO INTO THE PEACEFUUL PROTEST CAMP AND ARREST PEOPLE. HE!...hE HE HEY! ITS SO OBVIOUS MATE. AND THEN YOU WANT TO DESTROY PRESIDENT NASHEED'S NAME AND DIGNITY. YOU BLOODY FLIPPIN' FOOL. THIS IS CHILD-PLAY. THE FEAR FOR THIS ROUGE POLICE IS GONE... GONE WITH THE WIND!... MATE THE POLICE, THE ARMY, AND ESPECIALLY WAHEEDO AND GAYOUM IS GOING TO GO CRASHING IN! WAIT AND SEE.!... ALL PEOPLE WILL GO INTO YOUR SO CALLED POLICE QUARTERS AND CHUCK YOU OUT, YOU IDIOTS. WITH YOUR CANNIVING ACTS YOU ARE SHOWING HOW MUCH YOU DO THESE ACTS WITHOUT RATIONAL THINKING.POLICE AND ARMY ARE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT PEOPLE! INSTEAD WE SEE POLICE CRIMINALS ARRESTING THE YOUNG--- BROTHERS/SISTERS/SONS/ AND DAUGHTERS OF SOMEBODY, UNDER FALSE PRETENSES. THIS IS INDEED A REBELION TO BRING BACK JUSTICE, MATE. WAHEED, YOU DO NOT BELONG! GET OUT! YOU DONT BELONG THERE, WHERE YOU ARE.!WHO IMPLANTED ALCOHOL BOTTLES IN THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE. THESE ARE HYENA TACTICS MATE! YOU CORRUPT OFFICIALS BELONG IN THE ZOO TO SHARE CAGES WITH LIONS. AFTER ALL WAHEEDO IS ATTACHED TO A LION'S TAIL; AND BECAUSE HE CANNOT LET GO; HE HAS GLUED HIMSELF!....
I don't believe that MDP youth vandalized any police property. Having said that even if someone did vandalize property the police as an institution do not have the mandate to punish the person who carried out the crime. The police can only arrest, investigate and present the evidence to court. To condone the act of police to carry out justice by themselves, just because their offices were vandalized is a dangerous precedent. Some of the police were even carrying knives. The police are an arm of the government that are trained and mandated to keep peace. They cannot take justice into their hands. Delivery of justice should be by the courts. The independence of the justice system is another story.
Laadheenee seykun hayyaru kurey! Adhabu dhee! Addu ah fonuvaa!