What was to be a peaceful candlelight vigil for two student leaders detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) turned into a verbal salvo when police personnel stormed the crowd and seized their candles.

Some 15 people, mostly women gathered outside the Dang Wangi district police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur at about 8.30pm yesterday to hold the peaceful protest against the arrests of Khairul Anuar Ahmad Zainuddin, 24, and Mohamd Fuad Mohd Ikhwan, 22, last week.

Five minutes later, about 40 police personnel, including members of the Light Strike Force (LSF) rushed towards the crowd and snatched the candles, ordering them to disperse.

According to one of the protestors, Salbiah Ahmad, the police personnel, led by one DSP Ng, had "rudely interrupted" the vigil and some even broke the protestors' candles.

Following this, a heated argument broke out between the protestors and the police personnel. One plainclothes police officer who refused to identify himself told the crowd to disperse, saying that they were holding an illegal assembly.

When all attempts to persuade the police personnel failed, the protestors dispersed about 10 minutes later.

"We felt very intimidated by the incident. We will lodge a complaint with Suhakam and the Bar Council," said Salbiah who is a lawyer.

Meanwhile, Dang Wangi district police chief Bakri Mohd Zinin when contacted declined to comment on the incident.