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What turned out to be a double celebration: celebrating the anniversary of the Bersih rally and together with the candlelight vigil turned bloody in the second-half of the event as 24 men and women were arrested at the Civic Centre in Petaling Jaya. The term Bloody Sunday was mentioned twice in history, one in 1972 where 26 civil rights protesters were shot in Derry. Another reference to the name was in St Petersburg 1905 where protesters were shot as they intended to submit the petition to Tsar Nicholas II.
I was there with a few friends and guys and was covering both halves of the event, but the aftermath of the second half was so bloody that a some of them were brutally beaten by the FRU.
At Amcorp Mall
All roads leading to Amcorp Mall were sealed off by the police before event time at 9.30 p.m. This time, the federal police was involved in the operation given that the event involves BERSIH, the NGO coalition that calls for clean and fairer elections. However, there were two routes that were not covered: the back way going through Nestle office in Persiaran Barat and the small road leading to the court house.
The FRU men were on Standby mode at the outdoor parking ground while most of the people who wish to attend the event were either at inside Amcorp Mall or at the A&W restaurant. Given that the situation that seems to show police intimidation, the event was shortened by approximately five minutes. Note that there at least 15 Special Branch people around there with the blue-uniform and the FRU. The reason of shortening the thing in Amcorp is not to give excuses for the police to act before the mall closes at 10 p.m. Any such violent and brutal action at a private property warrants a lawsuit / complaint by the owner against the government.
Earlier on, the commanding officer was heard shouting at the bullhorn, "We will take action" (or somewhat) The event at Amcorp Mall wrapped up at 9.35 after a singing of the National Anthem. After that, everyone is asked to dispersed in groups of two. Some left while some went towards the Civic Centre for another vigil.
At MBPJ Civic Centre
Another round of gathering took place there after that where special guests there include Ronnie Liu, Tony Pua (also present at Amcorp Mall), Mat Sabu, Bersih secretary Faizal Mustaffa and Raja Petra Kamaruddin who has been asked to give a word or two following his release from ISA three days ago.
After Ronnie gave a speech of proposal of reinstatement of local government elections, Raja Petra was invited to give a few words before leaving. At that time, three trucks of FRUs, Special Branch people and the blue-uniform were standing by - moving their positions from Amcorp Mall and stood at the sidewalk of the main road. By the time they were fully mobilized everyone was singing again Negaraku. Apparently the police snapped upon hearing the song the second time.
Ronnie tried to approach the police to inform them of that they would have another five more minutes before dispersing. Before he could do so, the FRU started coming in as if being the Roman Legions and the OCPs screaming rudely at the crowd. I was standing there, thinking that the FRU would simply beat a person like me with their batons, but they moved past me and Pete and went after the others behind me.
And that's where the beatings and arrests started. The first two arrests made were Indians. The police are targetting those who are Indians and those who wear yellow shirts first before going after the others.
Calmly I walked briskly out of the place and when crossing the main road, Augustine, my friend (moving behind me, about to leave) was jumped by a Special Branch man, overpowered and was arrested. I could not stop anymore or do anything but to keep moving and tag after Pete, Marina and Serena who's ahead of me. I broke out the bad news of Augustine caught to the others. Read much more at: http://melvin-mah.blogspot.com/2008/11/bloody-sunday.html
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