Monday November 26, 2007

Police to go after assembly leaders

KUALA LUMPUR: Police will take action against the leaders, organisers and participants of yesterday’s illegal gathering in the city.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan said there was ample evidence to go after them.

Police had been monitoring the Hindu Rights Action Force’s (Hindraf) activities for some time, he said.

Musa said that besides demonstrators damaging property at Batu Caves, several other groups had gathered near KL Sentral, KLCC, Nikko Hotel and the Jalan Ampang area.

He said despite being pelted and attacked with stones and bricks in Batu Caves, resulting in several policemen being injured, police did not use any force, nor did they fire water cannons and tear gas at the crowd gathered there.

Musa said his men had also exercised restraint in all the other areas and only used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowd in some areas.

“There was no body contact at all. We made quite a number of arrests there (in the city) as well.

“We would have negotiated with the leaders to have them hand over the memorandum but there was no leader in sight.

“When the leaders finally came at about 1.30pm, they gave a speech and went back without even handing over the memorandum,” he added.

Up in arms: Police trying to hold back protesters at Jalan Ampang in Kuala Lumpur.

Musa said that 136 people were arrested at the illegal assembly (including 69 detained at Batu Caves), while another 105 were brought in for documentation.

Four policemen were injured in the demonstrations in Batu Caves and along Jalan Ampang, including one who sustained four stitches on his head.

Seven police vehicles were damaged when demonstrators hurled stones and bricks at them.

The IGP also denied claims of deaths during the demonstration.

“A police report has been lodged against a website for claiming there were deaths,” he added.

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