Dataran 4 say they were 'roughed up' by DBKL

Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) officers assaulted the four individuals, including two students, who were detained during DBKL's raid on those camping at Dataran Merdeka yesterday afternoon, a police report states.

At least five DBKL officers roughed up Ekhsan Bukharee Badarulhisham, 20, during theraid that took place about 12.30pm, Ekhsan says in his police report.

"(I) tried to break up a scuffle, but was pulled away by five or six DBKL officers, dragged to the road in a rough manner, and thrown onto the road," he said.

After that, Ekhsan said, he was "punched and kicked by the officers", resulting in his shirt being torn and his spectacles broken.

The Universiti Selangor student said he stepped in to calm the situation after a DBKL officer pushed another student, Muhammad Aliff Hafiz, until the latter fell.

"(The officer) accused us of pushing another DBKL officer until he fell," he said, insisting that the other DBKL officer had in fact "tripped" and fallen.

Assaulted while lying down

Ekhsan, who lodged the police report on behalf of all four who were detained, said a bystander, Shaiful Buhari Ramlan, 25, was also assaulted when he tried to intervene on his behalf.

"Shaiful (left) was pushed from the back and stopped from intervening (to help me). He was assaulted when he tried to stop the officers from hitting another student.

"He was hit on the head from the back until he fell and was assaulted while he was lying on the road... by five to six DBKL officers," Ekshan says in the report, noting that about 50 DBKL officers were present at that time.

Shaiful, who showed reporters his bruises during a press conference at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex on Jalan Duta today, was also said to be dragged onto the road and "stepped on his left cheek".

Activist Mohamad Karim Abdullah, 24, was "punched on the face" by a DBKL officer when he tried to stop them from dismantling the students' tents.

"Karim was also grabbed until he sustained scratches and abrasions to his right hand. He was roughed up by about five DBKL officers before being put into an unmarked van," Ekhsan said.

'We were provoked'

He added that the DBKL officers "did not introduce themselves or give any legitimate notice, but raided, provoked and attacked" the protesters.

All four who were assaulted were detained at the Dang Wangi police station and released on bail late last night.They are expected to be charged in court today.

On Monday, college student Umar Mohd Azmi claimed trial to obstructing a DBKL officer from performing his duty in "apprehending and escorting" Occupy Dataran activist Fahmi Reza.

Fahmi, who was arrested together with Umar on aSunday morning raid on Dataran Merdeka by men from DBKL, was released on police bail and not charged.

Protesters from the Occupy Dataran movement to reclaim public spaces and the student protesters demanding free tertiary education have been camping out at Dataran Merdeka for 11 days.