DAP has accused the police of double standard when it arrested 17 students and activists who protested outside Parliament.

Calling for their immediate release, party organising secretary Anthony Loke criticised the police for not acting against anti-Bersih protesters.

"Yesterday, at noon, there was a show by this anti-Bersih group in front of Sogo (shopping complex in Kuala Lumpur).

"There was an open show of intimidation yet they were not arrested.

"But the students who occupied parliament peacefully were arrested," Loke told a press conference at the DAP headquarters today.

He also lambasted the police for using Penal Code Section 124B, saying the provision “activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy” employed on the students is ridiculous.

“What have they done? To call for the resignation of Prime Minister is not a crime. It cannot be considered as undemocratic.”

“They are only occupying, expressing their views, and calling for the prime minister to resign.

"If this is considered as ‘detrimental to parliamentary democracy’, I think the police must be given a lesson on what is meant by the action ‘detrimental to parliamentary democracy’.”

Three days’ remand

A group of about 20 students calling themselves ' Gerakan Mahasiswa Selamatkan Negara ' (Student Movement to Save the Country) marched about 1.5 kilometres from Bank Negara to Parliament Square on Monday, calling for Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to resign .

Last night, the police arrested 17 students and activists after a standoff outside Parliament and took them to the Jinjang police station.

At today’s hearing, the judge gave the police three days' remand for the students; they are expected to be released on Friday.