VIDEO | 6.17 min

Eggs were thrown at the police guarding the Federal Court today by a group of supporters of PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim, who then tried to storm the barricade around the court complex.

The incident is the second time violence erupted outside the court today, and the third since the hearing of Anwar’s appeal against his Sodomy II conviction started yesterday.

About 15 individuals were involved in the latest incident about 2.25pm this afternoon, when most of the supporters were gathered around a makeshift stage to watch a music performance by a group of activists.

The two eggs that the group threw struck one photographer and one policeman on duty, but police were able to stop the group from making their way past the barricades.

A second press photographer was also splashed by the egg that struck the policeman.

The situation was brought under control soon afterwards, when the 15 were led away by other Anwar supporters, as riot police from the Light Strike Force moved into formation with their shields, batons and tear gas launchers.

PKR youth chief Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Taman Medan assemblyperson Haniza Mohamed Talha and other PKR members then spoke to the police to allow the crowd to take shelter under a large canopy that had been cordoned off, in view of the light rain that had started.

The police agreed and protesters were allowed through the barricades and into a part of the canopy, just as the drizzle grew into a steady rain.

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you to the police!” the crowd broke into song as they came in.

They were provoked

Asked about his supporters' behaviour, Anwar urged the authorities not to "bully them".

"Don't provoke them, allow them to assemble peacefully," he said after today's proceedings.

Lost for words for a moment when told of the egg-pelting, Anwar (right) insisted that this was due to the "provocation".

"Allow them to assemble peacefully and then they won't react like that.

"Be as tolerant to them as you (the police) are tolerant to (right wing groups) Perkasa and Isma, that's all I'm asking," he implored.

Speaking to his supporters later, he urged them not to respond to agent provocateurs, and if there were any issues, representatives should be sent immediately to negotiate an amicable solution.

 

"Keep praying and keep fighting no matter what happens (to the case), but I hope that we control ourselves, don’t provoke. I heard in the media that there were some problems.

 

"I hope that you follow the leader’s instructions and don’t cause problems, because I have said many times before, that our quarrel is not with the police. Don’t (do it)," he said, to which is supporters applauded.

The canopy, about 300 metres long, was built in the middle of Persiaran Perdana in preparation for an unrelated event, and the barricade was erected through the canopy yesterday, rather than around it, as it was today.

Once their makeshift stage was moved inside the canopy just after police allowed the protestors in, PKR vice-president Chua Tian Chang was the first to speak.

“Thank goodness we are here. No need to storm the gates. It would have been better if we were allowed to use this place earlier,” Tian Chua said, while thanking the police.

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