CHENNAI: Even as police were rounding up suspected protesters from the Marina beach with a strength of more than 500 personnel including officials, that outnumbered the protesters, over 300 protesters from the May 17 movement and Tamil Eelam sympathisers assembled on the promenade within a matter of seconds, successfully taking out a brief march before they were rounded up by the police.
The police arrived on the scene well ahead of the time announced for the protests, rounding up suspicious visitors to the beach. Those dressed in black in particular, even in groups of twos, came under the scanner. In one instance, two men, dressed in black were taken in by police personnel before being let off after they concluded that the men could neither speak nor comprehend Tamil.
The heavy security notwithstanding, at about a quarter to six, a group of people who escaped the police radar, headed by Thirumurugan Gandhi, founder of the May 17 movement, a Tamil civil rights activist group, marched towards the Thiruvalluvar statue on the promenade.
A small group that escaped the first round of arrests, lit candles near the statue before they were also rounded up. The protest came to an end as quickly as it had begun, in a matter of minutes.
There were instances of minor clashes between the police and protesters during the arrest particularly when protesters allegedly vandalised the buses in which they were taken after their arrest. According to a senior police official, more than 250 people, including Thirumurugan were arrested.
T Velmurugan of Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi was also seen at the scene but was not arrested. When asked, a senior police official said, “He just spoke to the media briefly and left.”
Sathyaraj, Samuthiraikani back march
The May 17 movement’s march had the backing of actor Sathyaraj and director Samuthiraikani, who put out video messages in support. The protesters were largely seen, much like last year’s tribute, carrying pictures of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam founder Velupillai Prabhakaran’s son, Balachandran and the slogan ‘Tamil Eelam is the only solution’. Police had issued a warning that protesters found at the beach would be arrested.
