KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 27 —After a damp evening and a muted turnout on a school holiday weekday calling for a five-day picket in front of the United States Embassy, four tents were all that stood in defiance against the police order barring them.

Despite the warning earlier, several participants from the event called Kepung Demi Palestin — Malay for "siege for the sake of Palestine" — threw the dice and went ahead as they prepared to spend the first night of the picket.

Camped under the pedestrian bridge crossing Jalan Tun Razak between The Icon and Menara Tan & Tan, those who decided to stay the night fired up a stove to brew cups of "kopi O" which they hoped would keep them alert of any authorities planning to chase them away.

Several steps away, the spokesman for the coalition called Sekretariat Solidarity Palestin and longtime activist Chua Tian Chang — also called Tian Chua — could be seen negotiating their "occupation" with Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) officers.

"DBKL told us that we can stay put but we cannot set up tents. The argument is that we are disturbing the public. But we will stay put whatever it is," Chua told Malay Mail.

The former PKR vice-president was also looking to get some leeway from his party mate, newly-appointed Federal Territories Minister Dr Zaliha Mustaffa.

"DBKL told us we have 30 minutes to take down the tents, but we are trying to get in touch with the Federal Territory minister's staff to get permission," he said.

Earlier, Chua had said that participants would probably while the night away in lively conversations while hoping the police would keep their distance.

"I hope more people will come tomorrow because we invited poets to come to the picket,” he said.

Just a few hundred metres away, the police had erected a barricade using its lorry in a successful bid to stop the picketers from approaching the US Embassy.

This came after a crowd of nearly 200 gathered at the Lembaga Tabung Haji headquarters at 10pm last night before marching towards the embassy along with Palestinian flags and placards condemning Israel's retaliation against Hamas in Gaza.

Over 60 civil society groups and wings of political parties from across the divide are backing the picket.

Planned until New Year's Eve, the event is demanding four things: The end to the arbitrary killings of Palestinians; an immediate, permanent and unconditional truce; addressing the immediate needs of civilians in Gaza for both aid and protection; and the recognition of the right of the Palestinian people to a sovereign state.

Speaking to the press earlier, Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Allaudeen Abdul Majid pointed to the need to ensure the safety of the many high commissions and embassies situated nearby.

Gandipan Nantha Gopalan, 27, a coordinator from the Petaling Jaya chapter of the Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM), said he was shocked by the police order.

"Our stand is the same as the government. We have stated that the picket will be peaceful but I still don't understand why they decided to say that,” he said while setting up a tent.

In October, the government had backed a Palestine solidarity rally held in Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also making an appearance.

Gandipan said PSM members will rotate in shifts to stay for the first night.

"Few of us have other party responsibilities, we will rotate, we will decide who will stay for tonight and the night after,” he said.

Meanwhile, Gema Youth Organisation Malaysia treasurer Muhammad Harith, 29, said his comrades would comply with the police’s instruction as long as the picketers are not disturbed.

"We are just setting up tents. Nothing wrong with that. We try to comply with their instructions. As long as they don't disturb us, we will just act like normal,” he said.

Harith said he would stay for a few hours here to have conversations with others from different organisations.

"If there's nothing much later, I'll go home and come back tomorrow night,” he said.