Teargas fired at Masjid Jamek - Live Report

Follow up in Malaysiakini

2.01pm: About 2,000 people have come out of Masjid Negara to march to Dataran Merdeka first before heading towards Istana Negara. The police have started arresting the marchers.

2pm: The police have started arresting people at Masjid Jamek after they failed to disperse despite being given several warnings.

The crowd is trying to get out of Masjid Jamek to march towards Istana Negara.

Eyewitnesses say several rounds of teargas were fired into the crowd.

1.50pm: The police are asking the congregation at Masjid Jamek to disperse at the end of the afternoon prayers session.

At Masjid Negara, the crowd size is about 1,000 people now, including PAS leaders such as Hatta Ramli and Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad. At least 25 people have been arrested at Masjid Negara so far.

1.45pm: The police arrest three protesters in Masjid Jamek with a bag containing black-and-red anti-ISA T-shirts. The trio are made to hold up the T-shirts from the bag and pose for press photographers. It is not clear whether the bag belongs to them.

"Raise your head," said a police officer as the photographers snapped away.

1.44pm: KL CPO Muhammad Sabtu Osman visits Masjid Negara and said that a total of 157 people have been arrested around the city as of 1.30pm.

1.41pm: There was some light-hearted moment in Masjid Negara when two 'sexy' girls attracted the attention of the crowd. They were allowed to enter the mosque without any hindrance.

1.40pm: The police are forming a police line about 100 metres from the palace along the road which leads to KL Sentral.

1.40pm: About 25 people who have been arrested in Pasar Seni are being held in a police truck. An earlier truck with 29 detainees left for the police station about 40 minutes ago. This brings the total of people arrested in the Pasar Seni area to 54.

1.37pm: At least 10 people have detained at Masjid Negara. The size of the crowd at the mosque is about 500.

Meanwhile city police chief Muhammad Sabtu Osman was reported as saying that four buses believed to be from Terengganu were stopped from entering the city.

1.36pm: The police are allowing people to enter Masjid Jamek for afternoon prayers. Many people are streaming in to pray.

1.36pm: At Pasar Seni, 15 more people are arrested. They appeared to be anti-ISA protesters, despite that the area is to be a meeting point for the pro-ISA crowd.

1.28pm: Anti-ISA movement leader Norlaila Othman and her child, along with several other leaders of the movement were among those arrested near the Sogo area earlier today. Also arrested were PKR's women's wing leaders Salmah Ismail and Hayati Abd Samad.

Meanwhile, the front entrace of Sogo shopping centre has been closed.

1.24pm: Two men have been arrested at the Masjid Negara compound for having anti-ISA T-shirts. The police are also randomly checking bags of people. The crowd size inside the mosque now stands at 500.

1.22pm: The police have taken full control of the Masjid Jamek area by dispersing everyone.

Meanwhile at Masjid Negara, the crowd size has swelled to about 300 and over at Pasar Seni, the police are continuing to weed out suspected protesters. Eyewitnesses said that PKR leader Zaid Ibrahim was spotted inside the Pasar Seni.

Traders at Pasar Seni have shuttered their business due to the anxiety caused by the police action.

1.21pm: According to KL chief police officer Muhammad Sabtu Osman, nearly 200 people have been arrested in various parts of the city as of 12.15pm.

1.11pm: The police have beefed up their presence at Masjid Jamek with 40 additional personnel. The busy Jalan Tun Perak has been sealed off as well.

There are about 300 people at the area at the moment and the Light Strike Force Unit are dispersing them.

1.10pm: The situation at Istana Negara is rather subdued compared to the other hotspots. However there is a heavy police presence at the palace, along with some journalists.

1.01pm: The size of protesters at Masjid Negara has gone up to about 200 now. People are coming into the mosque in small groups.

1pm: Number of people arrested at Masjid Jamek stands at 14 now. A police officer has warned the people to disperse.

"This is an area under police surveillance. If you are arrested by mistake, don't blame the police," he said.

12.56pm: According to the police, 30 people have been arrested in the Pasar Seni area. A police truck carrying those arrested leaves for the Cheras police district headquarters.

12.50pm: The police have closed the main Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman from Sogo departmental store to Dataran Merdeka stretching for about 1.8 kilometres. Both are gathering spots for anti-ISA protesters.

12.47pm: Reports are saying that Masjid Jamek has been closed to the public. Only police personnel are being allowed into the mosque. So far 12 people have been arrested in this area.

Meanwhile over at Masjid Negara, the 20 anti-ISA protesters are waiting for their colleagues to join them. Another group is now joining them.

12.40pm: Lawyer Puspawati Rosman has been released by the police. She was arrested 10 minutes ago, handcuffed and placed in a Black Maria at Masjid Jamek.

12.40pm: According to an eyewitness, Padang Merbok, which is one of the meeting points for pro-ISA protesters, was devoid of people. Three police trucks were seen in the area.

According to a Special Branch officer, the pro-ISA protesters may gather only in Pasar Seni. A total of 21 people have been arrested there so far.

12.37pm: The police have also deployed canine units at Dataran Merdeka. At least two police dogs were spotted.