Police disrupt youth protest citing public inconvenience
MPS officers obstructed Thursday's youth protest, assaulted participants, and used pepper spray
Youth assemble on the streets on 01.05.2025 as part of the series of "Dhuleh Nukuraanan" protests
The Maldives Police Service (MPS) has stated that they disrupted the protest that was staged on Majeedhee Magu on Thursday night, after legal warnings, considering the impact on the general public's lives and students' educational interests.
A statement released by the police institution reads that complaints have been received about the negative effects on residents and businesses in the area due to protests by youth blocking the main road, Majeedhee Magu, for vehicles, of recent.
The police have stated that they had repeatedly advised against activities that conflict with public interest, such as blocking an important road for travel like Majeedhee Magu, playing music, and engaging in games like table tennis and carrom as part of the protest.
Police stated that, as many students were scheduled to sit for GCE O-Level exams on Friday, they issued repeated warnings on multiple nights and ultimately dispersed the gathering on Thursday night. The police said this measure was taken after considering the impact on students' educational interests and the general public's lives.
While participants of the youth protest were peacefully demonstrating on Majeedhee Magu, the police obstructed the protest, assaulted participants, and used pepper spray.
The police arrested two people from Thursday night’s protest. Those taken into police custody were Shiman and Mahzoom, who were leading and organizing the protest activities. The two were taken into police custody very violently. Footage shows Mahzoom being forced to the ground and his shirt being torn at the time of his arrest. It appears from the scenes that Shiman and Mahzoom were arrested without a valid reason. Mahzoom is also a lawyer who is actively involved in the youth movement seeking justice for 21-year-old Hawwa Yumnu Rasheed who was found fallen from the ninth floor of H. Fentenoy onto the roof of an adjacent warehouse in the early hours of April 18. Mahzoom was arrested after being forced to the ground and handcuffed.
Under Article 32 of the Freedom of Assembly Act, everyone has the right to assemble peacefully without prior permission from the state. However, the police entered the protest on Thursday night without prior notice to the participants, which has led many to strongly condemning police actions.
