KUALA LUMPUR, April 30 (Bernama) -- Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail
Omar today defended the police action in using water cannons and firing tear gas
during last Saturday''s gathering close to Dataran Merdeka, saying the
demonstrators had turned unruly and crashed through police barricades.
"The gathering last Saturday was not peaceful after it turned into a riot and
the demonstrators damaged public property and injured police officers on duty,"
he told a news conference.
He said the organisers of the gathering did not keep to their promise to gather
peacefully and did not exercise control over their supporters, allowing the
demonstrators to turn violent and violate provisions of the Peaceful Assembly
Act 2012.
It was clearly evident that the police had to act after the demonstrators
rammed the barricades and barbed wire placed around Dataran Merdeka which had
been declared out of bounds by a court order, he said.
Kuala Lumpur City Hall had rejected an application by the organisers to hold
the gathering at the square, stating that it was only allowed for official
national-level events.
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