Black 505 rally may turn violent, warn police
TMI) – Police have warned people to stay away from the Black 505 rally tomorrow, saying it could turn violent. They claimed that the rally organisers are planning to ignite clashes with the authorities.
In an immediate response to this claim, PKR strategic director Rafizi Ramli expressed shock, as he is one of the main organisers of the event. He strongly denied these allegations, which he said were seditious.
City police chief Datuk Mohmad Salleh said police have received intelligence that the organisers of the rally have ordered protestors to “provoke” the police and cause chaos at all seven meeting points and at the main gathering place, Padang Merbok.
“The organisers want to see clashes between the police and the protestors,” Mohmad said in a statement sent to the media.
Police claimed the rally organisers are expected to create chaos in the city to make waves on social media when the police quell the riots, presenting the cops as the bad guy.
The police chief insisted that tomorrow’s event is an illegal gathering as it would breach the Peaceful Assembly Act.
The warning about violence came a day after the Federal Internal Security and Public Order director Datuk Salleh Mat Rashid had said that police will seek the help of the army, if necessary, for crowd control.
Mohmad’s statement raised eyebrows as earlier today, PKR strategic director Rafizi Ramli, appeared optimistic that police will ensure that the rally proceeds smoothly.
Rafizi had said that the organisers had been unofficially informed by Dang Wangi police that they will assist, as long as there was no damage caused by the protestors to public property.
“We received this assurance from ASP Ananthan Rajoo from the Dang Wangi district police headquarters, who said that he received instructions from the top to ‘help’,” Rafizi said in a statement.
“We remain positive that we will get all the help we need,” he said.
