While the 15 Himpunan Hijau activists were charged in court today with illegal assembly for opposing rare earths company Lynas Corporation, an equal number of thugs who attacked them for protesting continue to walk free.

Bersih 2.0 and Suaram at a joint press conference today condemned the absence of any action against the thugs, even though the attack took place outside the Kuantan district police headquarters.

“The police allegedly did nothing when some 15 thugs attacked the activists outside their headquarters.

“Worse still, they (the police) closed their doors to those being attacked, including a pregnant woman," Suaram executive director Yap Swee Seng ( left ) told a press conference in Petaling Jaya today.

The activists were holding vigil outside the district police headquarters after 16 of their comrades were arrested at a protest outside the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (Lamp) in Gebeng, Kuantan.

Yap accused the police of being biased for arresting peaceful protesters and taking no action against the thugs who committed violence by attacking the protesters.

He said the police only arrested some of the thugs after police reports were lodged against them but the police provided little details.

Yap demanded that details of the investigation into the thugs to be revealed and that action be taken against the police personnel for ignoring the attack on the protesters about 1am on June 23.

On top of the inaction, Yap also complained that the police also turned a blind eye to the excessive force employed by its personnel during the protest.

He said three activists were beaten up badly - one so brutally that he had to be admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of a hospital and was later diagnosed with cerebral concussion.

“There is really no reason for the police to beat up the protesters who were already handcuffed and therefore defenceless," Yap said.

Also present were Bersih chairperson Maria Chin Abdullah, Bersih secretary Adam Adli and Lensa Anak Muda (Lensa) representative Ahmad Shukri Kamarudin.

Maria ( right ) called for the much called for Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) to be implemented immediately to uphold professionalism in the police force.

“What we really want is a reform of the police, not just the police force but also the Home Ministry, which will have to take the responsibility for it,” Maria said.

Among the 15 anti-Lynas protesters charged today were Himpunan Hijau chief Wong Tack, steering committee member Dr Phua Kia Yaw and DAP firebrand speaker Hew Kuan Yau.

Also nabbed was activist Natalie Lowrey , who represents Friends of the Earth, but she was later released. No charge was brought against her and Lowrey has since returned to Australia.

Lynas 15 charged, court issues gag order