Headless Bersih rally still growing at stadium, Brave people of the Nation

July 09, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 — The police have fired water cannons in the direction of hundreds of pro-Bersih 2.0 demonstrators gathered at Stadium Merdeka even as their top leaders have been cut off or arrested at Kl Sentral.

The shot was a warning; none of the water hit any of the demonstrators.

The crowd of about 600 people are now urging the police to show restraint, yelling out “Sabar! Sabar!” (Calm down! Calm down!) at the officers, but more are surging towards the historic stadium despite coming up against police barricades.

Some Bersih leaders are trying to get the demonstrators to hold a sitdown, but are unable to make themselves heard above the roar, while earlier cries of “Reformasi!” appear to be weakening.

But the cheer picks up each time a new group of demonstrators successfully makes it past the police barricade and into the stadium compound.