nonsensical arresting spree by the police

wanna get arrested? wear black t-shirt, light a candle and ask 3 friends to join you in black t-shirt and holding candles too, stand outside your house front gate – i bet you before you can finish saying ‘su-per-ca-li-fra-gi-lis-tic-pi-do-cious’ (for the uninitiated, it is a song from the musical ‘mary poppins’), the police will be right in front of you -8 of them, 16 of them, 32 of them… as long as they are more than you and your friends gathered. (why, the police seems to love candlelight vigil these days) – and hey presto! instant arrest!

well the police said a gathering of 3 or more persons is consider an illegal gathering and they are always fearful of lighted candles (*scratch head* lighted candle is a weapon kah?). then as we notice lately, even though the gathering is at a private premise, police also consider illegal gathering and will arrest you.

on  may 19, 11 people, include a DAP MP, a state rep, were arrested for gathering outside MP teresa kok’s office. with black t-shirt and lighted candles of course. then yesterday, a gathering was staged again teratai state assemblyperson jenice lee’s service centre, and 16 people were arrested.

note that both time – the gathering were at private places. may 19 at teresa kok’s office and may 21 at jenice lee’s service centre.

note at both places – the police no. of turnout turn out to be more than the black shirt candle holders vigiliers!

and don’t forget before these 2 incidents, many people were arrested in front of the brickfields police station when they hold a candlelight vigil to support  wong chin huat who was arrested at that time

and of course i shall not talk about the infamous arresting spree (more than 60!) on may 7  during the perak state assembly so called sitting day.

why were the police so fast to move into action to arrest these people? were these people being violent?

IS THE POLICE’S PRIORITY NOW IS TO ARREST PEOPLE WHO GATHERED TOGETHER HOLDING LIGHTED CANDLES?

is that why crimes like snatch thieves, armed robbery, house break-in are escalating because the police concentrate all their time and resources on ordinary people who only want to exercise their rights for a peaceful assembly? 

during the may 19 arrest, suaram had this to say:

"Suaram condemns the police for their on-going attacks and intimidation on freedom of expression and right to assembly – fundamental rights which are guaranteed under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Federal Constitution of Malaysia.

"We demand the police to release the 11 individuals immediately and unconditionally. We also demand that police stop harassing the Malaysian people from exercising their rights to assembly and stop the assault on freedom of expression."

yes the people were merely expressing their freedom of expression – why were they not allowed to do it? as long as the gathering was peaceful and in a private premise (when without permit), the police should not be high-handed to swoop on them. why, i understand even if it is a one man protest, the police will disturb the man to ask him to stop it, like in the case of this one man who stand by the road-side with mouth gagged in perak. then in penang, there was this man who climbed a tree in protest. luckily didn’t read about the police hounding him to get down from the tree. er… maybe the police did but the reporter was not there to report it.

you know i find it ironic that these people who protested against democracy dying were arrested, which gave more meaning to democracy being dead!!  whoa! way to go, police!