In the run-up to a rally demanding the revival of academic freedom on Saturday, 30 students gathered to picket in Kuala Lumpur’s central transit hub today.
However, barely minutes into the protest, police charged in and arrested 15 students, who have been taken to the beat base on the premises. They are waiting for their lawyers to arrive.
Led by Movement for Academic Freedom (Bebas) chairperson Mohd Safwan Anang, the students staged a flashmob at the main entrance to the lobby.
They had gathered in a silent protest, armed with placards protesting the oppression of academic freedom.
Their demands included the guarantee of academic autonomy and the repeal of the controversial Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 (UUCA).
Although they were surrounded by some 25 police personnel who ordered them to disperse, the group was steadfast and defied the warnings.
They held up their placards reading 'We unite for academic freedom' and 'Give back university autonomy', as well as A4-size posters reading 'Freedom'.
Brickfields district police chief Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid gave them two minutes to convey their message and disperse.
However, the students, who were initially stationary, followed Mohd Safwan when he suddenly moved towards the crowd of commuters and onlookers.
The police reacted. In the tussle, they grabbed the placards and posters, and detained the students.
Wan Bari was overheard instructing his officers to bring in the Black Maria. It is not known yet whether those arrested will be taken elsewhere.
'It threatened public peace'
Speaking to reporters while the details of the students were being recorded, Wan Bari said police had granted the demonstrators enough time to deliver their message.
“We gave them two minutes to disperse peacefully. But before the two minutes ended, they started marching in the KL Sentral hallway... this is, of course, unacceptable.
“It threatened public peace and caused inconvenience to the people who were commuting at the peak hour,” he said.
According to him, the 15 students arrested - 14 Malays and a Chinese - are from Universiti Malaya, Universiti Putera Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Mara, Universiti Selangor, Universiti Tun Abdul Razak and Selangor International Islamic University College.
Wan Bari added that the students were being held under Section 27 of the Police Act for illegal assembly and they were taken to the Jalan Travers police station for their statements to be recorded.
Lawyer Fadiah Nadwa Fikri told Malaysiakini that police denied the students their right to be represented.
"They even refused to let us into the police station earlier, but now we are in and are waiting for the students to be released," she said.
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