Police open investigation paper on pro-Palestinian rally

KUALA LUMPUR: The police have opened an investigation paper concerning the solidarity rally for Palestine being held near the United States Embassy here since Tuesday (Dec 26).

Wangsa Maju District Police chief Supt Ashari Abu Samah said the investigation paper was opened under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 for organising an event without a permit.

He said the police had yet to call up the organisers of the “Aksi Bertindak: Kepung Demi Palestin” rally to record their statement as they were waiting for the peaceful assembly to end this Sunday.

“The participants are currently still obeying police instructions and they are not blocking the road in the area. In addition, police officers also patrol and inspect the area round the clock,” he told BK on Wednesday night (Dec 27).

Commenting on the actions of a few participants who set up tents in the area, Ashari said the police had no right to demolish the tents because they were not set up in front of the US embassy building.

“The tents are set up on the footpath area, so that is under the jurisdiction of the Kuala Lumpur City Hall,” he said.

Meanwhile, a BK survey on Wednesday found that several tents were still erected around the area even though the police had prohibited participants from erecting any structures throughout the rally.

The rally is an initiative by Malaysians concerned about the war in Gaza, where more than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in the past three months.

According to the Palestine Solidarity Secretariat, the picket in front of the US embassy in Jalan Tun Razak is symbolic of the siege on Gaza, but they are also demanding a halt to the killing of Palestinians and an immediate ceasefire.

The gathering involves a total of 48 NGOs comprising community, youth, and student organisations, as well as various political groups. – BK