A group carrying box cutters on Tuesday attacked protestors demanding free water in Malé.
Minivan News observed five young men run into the a group of protestors at the junction of Sosun Magu and Medhuziyarai Magu at 10:00 pm, jump onto a truck carrying speakers and vandalize the generator and speakers system.
The protesters were calling on the government to provide free water and reverse its decision to only deduct 30 percent from water bills as Malé’s water crisis enters it’s seventh day.
After vandalizing the speaker system, the attackers ran into the crowd attacking everyone in their path. An elderly woman was punched and thrown to the ground and an elderly man was hit in the face. He suffered a cut to the head.
The woman was immediately taken to the Maldives Red Crescent water crisis headquarters at Majeeedhihyaa School for immediate treatment. She was later transferred to ADK Hospital along with the elderly man for further treatment.
Police officers and some protesters chased the attackers. Police arrested two, while angry protesters caught one more and beat him up severely. The police had to carry the attacker away.
A police media official told Minivan News the three arrested last night are all under eighteen. Two have since been released.
A police officer also sustained injuries to his mouth and nose as he attempted to arrest the attackers.
Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Youth Wing President and senior organizer of the protests, Mohamed Azmeel, said between six and seven gangsters armed with box cutter blades initiated the attack. Minivan News saw the blades on the street after the police arrested three of the attackers.
One protestor told Minivan News that he saw the attackers videoing those who spoke at the protest in order to target key protestors before they attacked
Gangsters also vandalized placards used in the free water protest on the previous night (Decemeber 8).
Azmeel said the rally will continue tonight.
Meanwhile, gang involvement has been speculated behind the torching of the MDP main office on September 29 using molotov cocktails after it was also vandalized on September 24.
Early October, an MDP office in Addu City was torched while masked men wielding wooden planks and batons attacked a party rally. 16 people were arrested that night however the police released nine of them the following day.
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1. Protestors demanding free water in Malé? well they were simply trying to obstruct the distribution of free water in Male'.
2. Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) said that they had not organised the protest, despite evidence pointing to the contrary; protesters mainly consisted of MDP activists and they chanted, ‘MDP would not stop its march for justice’.
http://www.haveeru.com.mv/news/57913
If the protesters were actually obstructing the distribution of free water, why didn't the police get involved? Is it normal for thugs with weapons to attack people? Rather than using the police to non violently disperse the crowd.
So what if MDP organized the protest! Is demanding drinking water an unreasonable request? Is the water shortage not something to be angry about? As another comment here said, Gayoom and family have been in control for 35 years (minus 3 years of Nasheed). So the blame for this mess is clearly on Gayoom and company's shoulders.
No comments on the attackers Ann? That part is fine?
PPM gangs at it again.
This is what you get here, in the people's Republic of Seykustan.
All thanks be to God, for creating and providing us with a population with a liberal doze from all ends of the spectrum. From demented, through brilliant, dottd with specs of murderers, violent offenders, pretentious justices, and then spicing the mix with plentiful inequalities by making some excessively rich, and most down right poor.
It's a spicy mix; frequently savouring with pinches of salt.
Thanks be to God for teaching us the lessons.
@Ann: You've confessed to two things.
That the government does not intend to distribute free aid - instead charge exorbitant prices for it.
Secondly, you also admit to the fact that the illegal colonialist regime considers anyone who does not conform to their oppression to be 'mdp activists'.
You've been a model prisoner, and I appreciate your cooperation during interrogation. I will personally appeal to the People's Supreme Court and testify regarding your behavior. Let's hope you get a lenient sentence.
@ann what a sick person.
your comment by its nature condoning the slashing up of and beating up those protester.