Police fired water cannons to disperse a 200-crowd who came to the Brickfields police station to lodge mass police reports against the mistreatment of ISA detainee P. Uthayakumar.

- The Star

UPDATED NEWS:

After giving warning yesterday asking supporters not to gather, the police used chemical-laced water cannons on estimated 100-400 (depending on which paper) supporters of Uthayakumar who converged at Brickfields police station to lodge report on the lack of medical attention given to the ISA detainee.

MP Puchong Gobind Singh highlighted the different treatment given to Indians as compared to other protests, especially by UMNO. Interestingly too, Malaysiakini reports that the supporters, including MP Kapar Manikavasagam and Uthaya’s relations asked to be arrested.

There could have been a compromise. Perhaps establish a boundary and just let 20 people or so to come in and make the report. It shouldn’t be a problem if the crowd was 50 meters away from the police station and protesting peacefully.

The initial feedback I get is police discrimination. Regardless of whatever is being said by political leaders and authorities, some (or many) section of  the Indian community may feel that they are purposely being targeted by all quarters associated with the government.

Below is some interesting extracts from the Star:

City police chief DCP Mohd Sabtu Osman said 17 people, including Kapar MP Manikavasagam, had been arrested for illegal gathering.

Among the arrested, three, including a woman, were sent to the hospital but police declined to comment. All were later released.

Earlier Saturday, about 300 people, including several Members of Parliament, had gathered to make the police reports.

Police allowed about 50 people – five family members of Uthayakumar and five representatives each from the country’s nine states, including MPs – to enter the station to lodge the reports.

The rest outside were asked to disperse. Most of them did but about 30 refused to leave.

The Federal Reserve Unit, which was already on standby, began shooting chemical-laced water at the crowd. The 30 ran away and then came back. They were again shot at with water cannons.

They ran way again, regrouped and returned to face a third round of dousing before dispersing.

It took about 40 minutes for the FRU to disperse the crowd.

They have now established a safety perimeter around the police station.

Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan said police had no choice as the crowd had ignored police advise to disperse as they were inconveniencing others at the Brickfields police station.

“The police station is a security area and we cannot allow such huge numbers inside for security reasons,’’ he said.

Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo who arrived later said that the incident should not have happened as every citizen had the right to lodge a police report regardless of the number.

“It is clear there are different standards practised by the police when dealing with such matters,” he said.

Malaysiakini report is as follows:

Chaos broke out at the Brickfields police station in Kuala Lumpur this morning as the police sprayed chemical-laced water at about 300 supporters of detained Hindraf leader P Uthayakumar.

MCPX

The supporters were accompanying nine people representing nine states and a relative of Uthayakumar, who intended to lodge police reports alleging that the Hindraf leader was denied proper medical attention for his ailment.

Upon reaching the police station, several of the group’s representatives were let into the police station to negotiate on the number of people allowed to lodge the police report.

However, as the group’s representatives were about to enter the police station, Brickfields police chief Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid gave the group 10 seconds to disperse.

“Disperse now. Only those lodging the report can remain. That was the agreement,” said Abdul Bari over the loudhailer, but the group failed to disperse.

Following this, Abdul Bari issued another warning for the group to disperse within three minutes. When the group failed to comply, chemical-laced water was fired into the crowd.

Most of the crowd subsequently dispersed save for a few, including Kapar MP S Manikavasagam and Police Watch and Human Rights Committee coordinator S Jayathas.

The duo were among 17 individuals who were arrested, according to Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo, who arrived at the scene later to act as the group’s lawyer.

“I have spoken to the district police chief and I can confirm that 17 people have been arrested by the police, including a member of parliament,” Gobind said.

“Three people, a woman and two men, have also been sent to hospital as they were injured when police carried out the attack,” he added.

Two ambulances arrived after the melee and entered the police station.

He said those arrested were being held for failing to disperse under police orders but he did not know if they would be charged.

The police could not immediately be reached for comment.

As the chaos ensued, there was a bizarre moment when several individuals walked into the police station demanding that they be arrested.

Among others, they include Manikavasagam, Jayathas, Uthyakumar’s sister, Waytha Nayagi, and Uthayakumar’s sister-in-law, K Shanti.

Hindraf coordinator R Thanenthiran, said he and opposition lawmaker Manickavasagam were negotiating with police in filing close to 50 police reports when they were hit.

“All we were trying to do is file police reports over the government’s lack of medical treatment for detained Hindraf leader Uthayakumar and the police water cannoned us,” he told AFP.

Speaking to reporters later, Gobind alleged that there appears to be “different standards” applied by the police during crowd control exercises.

“In Parliament, two MPs were roughed up but there was no action by the police. But when the Indians want to lodge a police report, we are arrested… what is their problem?” he exclaimed.

Gobind said the inspector-general of police owes the public an explanation for the police’s actions, adding that he hoped the police would not press charges against those detained as they were merely attempting to lodge a police report.

In an immediate reaction Hindraf chairperson P Waythamoothy condemned the police action against “peaceful citizens who had exercised their rights to lodge police reports”.

“It is sad the way the police have acted. The image and professionalism of the police force are gravely affected by their conduct,” he said in a short text message from his hospital bed in London.

Waythamoorthy has been admitted at a coronary care unit since yesterday for irregular heartbeat as well as for the swelling of his heart. An emergency procedure is expected to be conducted on him on Monday.

He also urged the Malaysian Human Rights Commission to immediately launch an inquiry on its own into the police actions today.