SHAH ALAM - Reports surfaced of escalating tensions as a peaceful pro-Palestine demonstration organiser, stationed in front of the US Embassy, was temporarily detained by local authorities, despite having notified the embassy of the protest's intentions last Sunday.
In an interview with Sinar Daily, Harmit Singh, a member of the Gegar Amerika Organising Committee, recounted the events of the day he was detained by police during the pro-Palestine demonstration outside the US Embassy.
"We were merely trying to hand over a memorandum to the embassy.
"The excuse given by the police was that there was no one to receive the memorandum, but we have already emailed the US Embassy of our intentions repeatedly.
"We know they have received it because this was acknowledged during our facilitation meeting with the police,” he said.
Harmit said that Gegar Amerika sent an email to the US Embassy clearly stating their goal to send a memorandum to the embassy to demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire, to cease weapon sales to Israel, and to end Israeli impunity.
He also emphasised that Gegar Amerika followed guidelines under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 by submitting a notice to the police prior to the event and had also attended a meeting with the police two days before the protest.
"So when I was walking to join my fellow activist, Arul, in front of the embassy and the police suddenly stopped me, I was surprised.
"Why, this is a public place?” Harmit asked the authorities.
He alleged that all of a sudden, the police pushed him.
"I tried to hold on to the railing but they continued to hit me and pin me to the ground before finally detaining me for an hour in the back of a police truck, then a police car.
"The police claimed that I did not comply with instructions but, when I was approaching the embassy, there was no police line or barricade or announcement, so how could I have violated their ‘instructions’?” Harmit said.
He also mentioned that when he asked for clarification from the police, they did not answer him and straightaway detained him.
"When I asked them why I was being detained, they said I did not comply with police instructions. When I asked why we could not demonstrate at the embassy, the police said that I had too high a level of thinking.
"We followed the guidelines under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012. There were many pro-Palestinian protests in front of the embassy in the past, so why are not we allowed to protest now given the current situation?
"At that time, there was only a small crowd near the US Embassy and the police were trying to intimidate other protestors from moving towards the embassy, which is why I believe I had become their target though it does not make sense,” he added.
Harmit also mentioned that after the protest and the handing over of the memorandum, the police informed his lawyer that they made a report on my detention but did not even record a 112 statement and closed the case.
"We need the police to play a better role in facilitating public assemblies and to not harass and intimidate participants of peaceful protests.
"I am lucky that the other protestors stood in solidarity with me, or else I may have been arrested and locked up,” he said.