PETALING JAYA: Just one week after a protest against the Internal Security Act took place at Padang Timur here, opponents of the act organised another demonstration at the Petaling Jaya Civic Centre last night.
This time, however, organisers had obtained a police permit to hold the protest, after being given 12 conditions they had to abide by.
Among the permit’s conditions were that participants could not hold a candlelight vigil; no anti-ISA T-shirts were to be worn; and no speeches were to be made by politicians.
Nevertheless, some of the about 100 protesters at the hall did not comply with the conditions.
Some were wearing anti-ISA T-shirts and brought candles which were lit as the gathering gained momentum.
However, no untoward incident occurred, and the crowd, which had started gathering at the venue at 7.30pm, dispersed at 9.30pm.
Present were Klang member of parliament Charles Santiago, Seputeh MP and Selangor exco member Teresa Kok and recently-released ISA detainee and blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin.
City councillor Richard Yeoh, when met at the event, said he had applied for a police permit to hold the gathering last Friday and was given the approval the next day.
Before the demonstration started, Yeoh briefed those gathered on the 12 conditions, which also included a prohibition against distribution of banners or leaflets and not to conduct any activity which “might suggest sympathy towards ISA detainees”, but these were ignored by some protesters.
Political speeches were also made at the two-hour gathering.
Plainclothes police officers were seen monitoring the situation but they did not arrest anyone.
A police spokesman confirmed that a permit was given for the gathering. “There were a few police officers there to monitor the gathering and there was no need for further action.”
Last Sunday, police dispersed a group of protesters for gathering without a permit.
They also arrested 23 protesters, among whom were several top politicians.
However, 22 of them were released the next day and one was arrested for previous offences.
PEOPLE'S POWER
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