Lawyers group warns home minister as anger mounts over treatment of pro-Palestine protesters at US embassy

Prominent rights group Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) has warned the Anwar Ibrahim administration against mistreating pro-Palestine protesters, following growing public dissatisfaction over the way police dispersed a group who gathered on the pavement outside the United States embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

This comes as Kuala Lumpur police chief Fadil Marsus attempted to soothe criticism of his men's actions by posting a video on his personal Instagram account, showing an officer telling two detained protesters that he too was sympathetic to the Palestinian cause.

LFL director Zaid Malek, who represented two youths arrested by police on Oct 2 following a scuffle outside the US embassy, said the core issue is the police's heavy presence, which actually escalated tension among crowds who had remained peaceful during multiple protests that have gripped Kuala Lumpur this week.

"One must question why there was such a heavy police presence to begin with and why protesters were initially blocked from approaching the US embassy. Even when the protesters were moved closer, why were they barred from standing on the pedestrian walkway outside of the embassy?" asked Zaid.

He said the US embassy and the pedestrian walkway outside the compound are not prohibited places under the Peaceful Assembly Act.

"There should have been no impediment for them to peacefully protest outside of the US embassy to begin with."

Zaid referred to viral videos showing police acting aggressively, depicting a protester being put in a chokehold and a female protester being dragged on the road.

Despite this, Saifuddin has condemned protesters, accusing them of violence.

"Police officers were present to ensure safety and public order, yet some individuals acted beyond limits, resulting in injury to a police officer," said Saifuddin.

Zaid said Saifuddin has failed to address the police's treatment of protesters as well as the blockade outside the embassy.

'Police broke procedures'

He said police also broke procedures when they refused to allow privacy during a meeting with his clients, Kamal Aarif Kamaruddin and Isa Azmi Zulkifli, at the Wangsa Maju police station.

"This is not only a breach of the Criminal Procedure Code, but a breach of their constitutional rights to counsel under Article 5(3) of the Federal Constitution," said Zaid.

"Is the minister going to keep mum on the denial of rights to counsel of the two individuals and the breach of their privacy by the police?"

Zaid meanwhile said the video posted by the KL police chief was taken without his clients' consent.

"We urge the home minister and the police to remember that their job is to facilitate the assembly and not to intimidate, harass or deter the public from exercising their constitutional rights.

"We also remind the home minister that he should first investigate the incident before making any rash statements."

Social media platforms and video-sharing sites have been flooded with comments criticising what is seen as police over-reaction in dealing with peaceful protests outside the US embassy. Many users also linked the action to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's decision to invite President Donald Trump to the Asean Summit this month.

Yesterday, thousands of people converged outside the US embassy to urge Anwar to withdraw the invitation.

The rally later broke into sporadic protests which continued well into the late evening, with mostly young participants waving the Palestinian flag along Jalan Tun Razak as motorists sounded their horns in support.