Cars set on fire, rescue van vandalised as temple protest continues
Robin Augustin
-November 27, 2018 2:16 AM
The protest at the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple turned ugly when the crowd became unruly and started to vandalise and burn cars parked nearby.PETALING JAYA: What was initially a peaceful protest at the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in USJ25 near Subang Jaya quickly turned unruly after a car was set on fire.
The car was parked on the opposite side of the road from the temple.
Sections of the over 1,000 people that had gathered near the temple since 8pm cheered as flames engulfed the car.
When a fire and rescue truck arrived at the scene to douse the fire, protesters charged towards the truck, forcing it to retreat.
At the same time, another group of protesters vandalised a car that was parked in front of the temple.
Before long that car too was engulfed in flames. The crowd could be seen moving on to vandalise another car.
An FMT photographer who was taking pictures of the burning car was threatened by one of the protesters.
A rescue van vandalised by the unruly crowd.Around 1.20pm, a badly damaged Emergency Medical Rescue Services van arrived at the police station in USJ8.
The van, believed to have been vandalised by protesters, had its rear windows smashed and dents to its door.
Moments later, a fire engine rolled in, its front windscreen shattered.
A fire and rescue truck with a shattered windscreen.It is understood that the two vehicles were attacked by an unruly crowd.
There is a strong presence of Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel, with as many as seven trucks around.
However, the trucks had their path blocked by protesters and their vehicles.
The unruly crowd then headed towards the office of the developer, One City, located about 500 metres away. There, they pelted it with rocks and smashed the glass door and windows.
The crowd broke the glass door and the windows at the One City office.
A motorcyclist who honked at the crowd as he wanted to pass through was also beaten up.This is the second day of trouble at the site of the temple which is due for relocation.
Yesterday, an early morning scuffle between the devotees and a second group saw 18 cars burned and members of the second group rushing into the temple to attack devotees.
Police have detained 17 people in connection to yesterday’s incident.
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