Police arrest 34 during protest at Jumhooree Maidhan

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Police arrested 34 demonstrators when they broke up the gathering at Jumhooree Maidhan (Republican Square) on Friday night. The protesters had gathered there calling for the resignation of "convicted terrorists" from Government posts.

The protest was organized by the Islamic Democratic Party (IDP) and the President of IDP Umar Naseer was among those that were arrested. However a Police Media Official said that everyone except one had been released and Umar Naseer, who had been among those leading the protest, was among those who were released.

The man that had remained under arrest had attacked a Police officer when the Police were trying to disperse the crowd, the Media Official said.

Police broke up the gathering of nearly 50 people, who were sitting at the center of the Jumhooree Maidhan park, after issuing several warnings to disperse from the area. Despite the repeated warnings around 30 protesters refused to comply.

The crowd had been protesting against the appointment of “convicted terrorists” to Government posts under President Mohamed Nasheed’s administration, which came into power this 11th November. The Police began dispersing the crowd around 9:30pm and most of the protesters were arrested using force. Some of them were dragged across the ground and pushed into the Police vehicles, eyewitnesses said.

IDP President Umar Naseer said that a woman who had taken part in the protest had been kicked in the stomach by a Police officer and was admitted at the hospital for treatment. When the Police officer had kicked the woman, her husband had attacked the officer. He was the only one who remained in Police custody, Umar said.

“The woman threw up when the officer kicked her in the lower abdomen,” Umar said. “That’s when her husband attacked the officer. When the Police began breaking up the protest most of the protestors suffered minor injuries, such as bruises.”

The main reason the Police gave for breaking up the protest was that the Jumhooree Maidhan was not a place that was allowed under the law governing peaceful protests. Before they broke up the gathering, the Police had cut the power to the loud speakers and other equipment the protestors had been using.

The protest had gone on for nearly half an hour when the Police intervened. The protesters had been carrying posters with photos of those who were killed in the 3rd November 1988 coup attempt. Another group of people, apparently supporters of President Mohamed Nasheed, had also arrived at the scene shortly after the protest began. They raised their voices against the IDP and DRP supporters, chanting “Anni hope hope!”. Before the situation between the two opposing groups of protesters escalated into violence the Police intervened to keep them separate. Later, after the Police had dispersed the crowd, people had started gathering in front of the Republican Square again, calling President Mohamed Nasheed a hypocrite and repeatedly calling for his resignation.

The Police on Saturday issued a statement saying that the zone near and around Jumhooree Maidhan was linked to the national security and the harmony of the country and that the Police would continue to take steps against those who gathered to protest in the area. However, when the protesters had first gathered at Umar Naseer’s office on Medhuziyaaraiy Magu and walked all the way to the Jumhooree Maidhan the Police had not tried to stop them from entering the area, despite the fact that Police patrols were seen near Umar Naseer’s office and Jumhooree Maidhan.

State Minister Abdulla Shahid, who had been given the death penalty for participating in the coup attempt of November 1988, was appointed as the State Minister for Defence and National Security by President Mohamed Nasheed.