reduced and recycled

Breaking news from Malaysiakini: the Police have taken no chances, issued an arrest on sight order, tear-gassed and water-cannoned some supporters… as early as 7.40am. You can read it over at Malaysiakini here. Subscription required. An excerpt:-

Tear gas fired at defiant protesters
Hours before the protest organised by Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) is due to take place, the police have already begun firing tear gas and chemical-laced water to disperse crowds in three areas in Kuala Lumpur.

The police fired a volley of tear gas at Jalan Ampang at about 7.40am today to disperse a large crowd who had gathered there. The area has been declared a curfew zone by the police, who have issued an ‘arrest on sight’ order.

Earlier, the police also used tear gas to disperse a crowd which gathered at Batu Caves and the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) areas.

Despite roadblocks and a tight police cordon to seal off the city, thousands of Indians from all around the country have arrived in Kuala Lumpur since last night.

Some of the protesters were already at Jalan Ampang near Hotel Nikko and Ampang Park - a stone throw away from the British High Commission - early this morning.

Despite repeated firing of chemical-laced water against the 2,000-strong crowd, the protestors appeared defiant and refused to budge.

However, by 8.30am the police have successfully forced the crowd to move out of the area, many of whom are now congregating near the National Heart Institute along Jalan Tun Razak.

Meanwhile, another group which has gathered near Tabung Haji building was pushed back by the volleys of police tear gas to near the United States embassy further down Jalan Tun Razak.

By 9am, the police numbering about 1,000 have cleared most of area in the vicinity of Ampang Park and the British High Commission of protestors.

UPDATE 9.30am, 10,000 in KLCC: The protesters are split into three major groups - about 3,000 south of Jalan Tun Razak with the police pushing the crowd back into Jalan Kia Peng and Jalan Bukit Bintang.

Another 3,000 are north of Jalan Tun Razak near the National Heart Institute. Many of the protesters are moving to KLCC to join the third group.

Meanwhile, the crowd in KLCC has surged to between 10,000 and 15,000 - a mix of young and old from all parts of the country. The protesters were being addressed by Hindraf leaders, including P Uttayakumar. The police are firing tear gas into the defiant crowd every 10 minutes.

Hindraf leader A Sivanesan has condemned the police for turning Kuala Lumpur into a war zone.

“Things are getting out of hand. We blame the police. They have beaten women and children. This is outrageous,” he told Malaysiakini.

“This will not stop us from submitting the memorandum and we will try to find a way to do that.”

Lawyer Haris Ibrahim, who is leading at 10-member Bar Council monitoring team, was stunned by the heavy-handed police crackdown.

“We’re not happy with the way the police are handling the crowd.”

Police presence is heavy and according to unconfirmed reports, hundreds have been made. The stretch of Jalan Ampang near the British High Commission has been completely closed to traffic.

The rally has been declared illegal by the police, who have also obtained an unprecedented court order to prohibit people from taking part in it.

Large groups of people are gathering at various spots around the city centre, all hoping to break the police cordon to march towards the British High Commission at about 10am.

Jalan Ampang - where the high commission is located - and three other roads have been closed since 3am to stop the crowd from arriving at the protest venue.

Also closed are two LRT (light rail transit) stations near the area - the Ampang Park and KLCC stations.

In the run-up to the rally, yesterday evening:-

Haris had previously objected to the rally itself, and I respect his decision. Nat will be walking with Hindraf for his reasons, too. For whatever reasons for and against, the violence to which the Indians are being subjected to is wrong. Wrong in the worst possible way. I checked the news on TV1, TV2 and other channels, and all are silent over what’s going on in KL right now. All that’s on are some breakfast programs and some idiotic Monsoon Cup do.

This is a travesty. I didn’t have access to a telly whilst the BERSIH rally was going on. Now that I am a spectator far from KL itself, the complete blackout, the refusal to see what’s going on right now, that is to me the most contemptible thing the mainstream media has done.

The mainstream media is participating in silencing the voices of thousands of Indians and supporters gathered at KL this morning.

God and Malaysians are watching.