Water cannons deployed when rally goers provoked police

Ground commander Roslan Abdul Wahid says rally goers turned aggressive when they were refused entry into Petaling Street.

KUALA LUMPUR: Police said they had no choice but to resort to using water cannons to disperse the crowds as Red Shirts rally goers turned aggressive and provoked security personnel when they were refused entry into Petaling Street today.

The decision to use the water cannons was made by security force Ground Commander Roslan Abdul Wahid, who said the crowd started to push aggressively against the barricades set up by the police and Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel.

“They pushed our barricade the first time and we told them please don’t come here because this is not the route stated in your permit. But they refused to go. This happened three times. We were very considerate.

“But the fourth time they wanted to do the same thing again and enter Petaling Street. They started pushing us and throwing stones at us,” he said to the media in front of Petaling Street entrance here today.

According to Roslan, three of his officers sustained minor injuries and have been sent to hospital for treatment.

Roslan who is also the deputy director for commercial crime and intelligence said due to the growing number of rally participants, the police had to move their assets and double up security.

He said, at peak time, the total number of rally participants hovered around 5,000.

“When we did not allow them to go in, they asked me if they could just sit here on the road for 10 minutes because they were tired of walking. I said yes.

“After 30 minutes I asked them to leave and they did. But the problem was, there were five to six small groups who were protesting and refused to leave.

“They still insisted on going inside Petaling Street, I can’t understand why.”

Despite the chaotic episode, Roslan said Petaling Street would be opened tomorrow as usual to the public.