KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 19 — About 31 people were arrested during a candlelight vigil organised by activist movement #Lawan in remembrance of Covid-19 victims at Dataran Merdeka tonight.

The police stopped the vigil after #Lawan organiser, Secretariat Solidariti Rakyat’s Ashraf Sharafi, finished reading a statement by the youth coalition at 8.30pm.

A woman is arrested during a candlelight vigil organised by activist movement #Lawan in remembrance of Covid-19 victims at Dataran Merdeka, August 19, 2021 — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon

A team of over 30 police officers transported 17 men and 15 women to the Dang Wangi Police District Headquarters nearby in two separate trucks that arrived at 8.40pm and 9pm.

The police did not disclose the reason for the arrests to the media.

Thirteen lawyers including Rajsurian Pillai, Faridah Mohamad and Nurul Hidayah Azmi began gathering at the police headquarters at 9pm but were only allowed to enter and see the detainees at 10.17pm.

Police would also only allow Rajsurian and Faridah in while the others had to wait outside the gates.

All the detainees were released individually starting 11.15pm after they were fined RM2,000 each for violating Regulation 10 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Regulations (Measures within Infected Local Areas) (National Recovery Plan) 2021.