A day before the demonstration, police obtained a court restraining order and warned people against any involvement. Under Section 27(8) of the Police Act, any assembly in a public place of more than five persons is prohibited unless permitted by police. The Act, which directly contradicts the right to free assembly in the country’s constitution, is routinely used to ban public rallies by all but government-aligned parties and organisations.

The police mobilised around a thousand officers from the Federal Reserve Unit and a voluntary force, RELA, in anticipation of the protests. Arrests began even before the demonstration was due to start at 3.00 p.m. Six people, all members of PAS, were detained in front of the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) near the Petronas Twin Towers.

More people were arbitrarily arrested at the KLCC and Ampang Park LRT Station even though they had not yet assembled. Keadilan spokesman Tian Chua and PAS treasurer Dr Hatta Ramli were detained while giving press interviews at a roadside restaurant near the Australian High Commission office. A lawyer, Jonson Chong, was also arrested at the site when he tried to stop police manhandling the men.

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