Malaysian Police Brutality

PHOTO GALLERY l VIDEO 

5.50pm: Batu MP Tian Chua and Prof Dr Abdul Aziz Bari, former law lecturer, have been arrested.

"Now I'm arrested, police hit us as we were dragged thru rows of rowdy officers - many got beaten up after being arrested," reads Chua's tweet.

5.45pm: Masjid Jamek - Some protesters still want to push into Dataran Merdeka, but the police return and give chase. A number of protesters are arrested. Some of the protesters throw shoes and bottles at the police.

5.34pm: Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said that the lost police pistol has been found. He tweets:

"2 policemen injured & admitted. Snatched police pistol was recovered."

5.30pm: KL Sentral - Bersih at a press conference the organisers claims the event is a success with 250,000 turnout. They however express regret with the incidents that have taken place, and suspect sabotage saying the behaviour reported is “unusual”.

5.26pm: Jalan TAR, in front of Sogo - Police are seen to be checking the overturned car.

5.15pm: Intersection of Jalan Tun HS Lee and Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, near CIMB Bank - PAS Unit Amal (security unit) is making its rounds urging the remaining protesters to disperse.

Meanwhile in thousands are still gathered in front of Masjid Jamek. They gather along Jalan Tun Perak, facing off a few police trucks.

They shout "Bersih, Bersih", but the police trucks suddenly make a U-turn and head back to Dataran Merdeka. The crowd claims victory.

5:13pm: Jalan TAR - The situation in Jalan TAR appears to be calm after a FRU truck retreated. There is no police presence along the road from Maju Junction to Pertama Complex.

Some of the protesters could be seen heading back towards Dataran Merdeka.

The area in front of Bar Council building is now deserted as most of the protesters have dispersed.

But there are still protesters in two main areas - from Masjid Jamek to Dataran Maybank and those in Jalan TAR.

5.12pm: Jalan Pudu, near Dataran Maybank - The back window of a car was shattered, with the protesters saying that it was caused by a tear gas canister fired by FRU.

5:01pm: Jln TAR - Four police trucks head towards Jln Chow Kit while protestors shout “Hancur FRU” and “Hidup Bersih". The protestors show no sign of dispersing.

5pm: Detainees are being held at the Police Training Centre (Pulapol) in Kuala Lumpur.

4.55pm: Masjid Jamek - Hundreds of people are trapped inside the Masjid Jamek mosque. Police have blocked the entrance to the mosque compound.

4.55pm: Dataran Maybank -  Police fire a tear gas canister at Dataran Maybank, dispersing the crowd.

4.50pm: According to an official post on the police Facebook page, a pistol was stolen during a melee near the Sogo shopping mall. 

"The public is advised to be cautious of any eventualities," read the post.

4.52pm: Pasar Seni - Police continue to provoke the protestors and prepare to fire tear gas at them. Malaysiakini then witnesses a policeman firing tear gas in the direction of protestors at Jln Tun HS Lee.

4.50pm: Masjid Jamek - Shabidi Ahmad, a Felda settler from Perak says, “I came by train. Just now while sitting at Masjid Jamek, they fired tear gas.

“I was really scared, my eyes, teeth, everything hurt. I just ran,” he says.

“I think the police shouldn’t do this, people are not causing disturbance, or starting fights, people came here without weapons.”

He hopes for change, adding, “I ask the rakyat to (work for) change, because I feel this government is really cruel to the people.”

4:50pm: Jln Raja Laut - In front of Pertama complex, about four FRU trucks fire tear gas, forcing protestors to move in the direction of Jln Chow Kit. The protestors are unfazed and press on.

And elderly man from Kedah says, “I am not afraid. Why should I be afraid of them?”

4.45pm: Jln TAR - At both ends of Jln TAR the hour long confrontation between rally participants and FRU ends when the police attack from both ends.

4.41pm: Jalan Tun Perak-Masjid Jamek LRT station - FRU fired another round of tear gas but the 2,000-strong crowd refuse to back down.

Police being arresting the protesters, at least one arrested.

4.30pm: Jln Petaling - Close to Pasar Raya 1 Supermart seven policemen apprehend and stomp on a protestor.

4.27pm: Dataran Maybank - Angry protesters throw empty water bottles at a passing police van.

4.25pm: Jalan Tun Perak-Masjid Jamek LRT station - Several tear gas canisters fired at Masjid Jamek LRT station by the police towards the crowd and they started to arrest people who were milling around the station.

Despite several rounds of water cannon fired, the protesters refuse to retreat and regroup soon after. 

4:23pm: Jalan TAR - A police vehicle allegedly hits two protestors in front of Sogo shopping centre, injuring them.

An angry crowd surrounds the police vehicle which has been abandoned, and overturns it. [VIDEO l 1.17 mins]