Cops mount 'anti-riot' blitz on Anwar 901 rally
Police have mounted a social media campaign against the planned rally in support of PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim on Jan 9.
Police have mounted a social media campaign against the planned rally over PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim's Sodomy II verdict on Jan 9.
The official police Facebook and Twitter accounts shared photos and videos of past riots, including an ABC News report of the London riots last August.
Police captioned the video clip on London riots as: "Is this what you want?
"Peaceful assemblies that have become riots overseas should be a lesson to us if we want to pursue freedom and right to self-expression."
The video clip, over two minutes long, shows rioters smashing windows, setting buildings and vehicles ablaze and battling with police on the streets of London.
The clip also shows a woman jumping off a burning building onto the arms of rescuers, with the ABC News newscaster describing the scene as “apocalyptic”.
One photo shows people climbing onto a police patrol car, while another shows rioters overturning a large van.
However, the source of the photos is unclear.
In addition, police have also posted clips of interviews with a ‘shopkeeper’ and a ‘security guard’ making negative comments about Monday's planned rally outside the High Court complex in Kuala Lumpur.
"If possible, don’t do this 901 rally because it troubles everyone," says the shopkeeper identified as 'Mr Kenny' in a one-minute video clip, claiming that the Bersih rally and Reformasi movement had affected his business.
'Thumbs-down' rating for video clips
“This illegal assembly is pointless, troubles other people, and wastes time. Why should we help someone who doesn’t help us?” asks an unnamed ‘security guard’ in a separate video clip.
"If they help Anwar, would Anwar return the favour if they get into trouble themselves?
"That’s uncertain, so they better not give us trouble," he adds.
The two videos are posted alongside police footage of the Jan 1 student demonstration at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris in Tanjung Malim on their official YouTube account, which was registered just two days ago.
As of 2.55pm today, the two video clips had garnered 244 and 666 views respectively.
Commentating on the YouTube video clips had been disabled, but more than two-thirds of the viewers have given both videos their ‘thumbs down' on the rating scale.
However, almost all commentators on Facebook spoke in favour of the police message, with just few dissenters.
PKR has declared it will bring 100,000 supporters outside the court complex on Monday, when the verdict on Anwar’s Sodomoy II case is scheduled to be delivered.
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