Court orders removal of opposition banners ahead of Yameen visit
A warrant issued by the Raa Inguraidhoo magistrate court authorised the police to confiscate “banners, loudspeakers and sound systems” on suspicion that people are planning to “gather and create discord” during the official visit.
24 Oct 2017, 9:00 AM
In a predawn operation Tuesday, riot police removed banners put up by opposition supporters on the island of Maduvvari in Raa atoll ahead of a visit by President Abdulla Yameen.
A warrant issued by the Raa Inguraidhoo magistrate court authorised the police to confiscate “banners, loudspeakers and sound systems” on suspicion that people were planning to “gather and create discord” during the official visit.
Citing the police request, the order stated that the banners, posters and flags contained “foul language” and claimed that certain people were planning activities against the public interest.
“We planned to protest peacefully and even obtained permits from the council to put up the banners. None of our banners had any foul language,” opposition activist Moosa Ali Manik told the Maldives Independent.
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