Campaign meeting halls vandalised

Opposition and ruling party campaign meeting halls were vandalised over the weekend, local media reported.

A group of masked men with weapons entered the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party’s office on the Maradhoo island of Addu City late Thursday night, a city councillor told Raajje.mv.

They attacked MDP supporters at the office, beat up one young man with an iron rod, smashed the windows and destroyed a sound system and other equipment, causing damages worth MVR200,000 (US$12,970).

Three men from the group were identified as from Feydhoo as their faces were uncovered, the council member said.

Meanwhile, in the early hours of Saturday, used engine oil was thrown into meeting halls of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives on the islands of Fonadhoo in Laamu atoll and Maamigili in Alif Dhaal atoll, the pro-government Sun Online reported.

No arrests have been made.

With the presidential election scheduled for September 23, campaigning has largely been free of violence.

In early July, opposition candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was confronted by two young men on motorbikes in Hulhumalé. The attack at Central Park was stopped by his security detail and MDP activists.

His team was later targeted with bags of used oil.

L.Fonadhoo jagaha ah kalhutheyo reyge vaguthehga jahaafa! Alifan jahaigen, Kalhutheyo jahaigen, qaumuthere halabolikohgen vote libeynekamah heenukuraathi! pic.twitter.com/y86e1Uosd8

— Dr. Abdulla Khaleel 🌐 (@abkhaleel) August 11, 2018