KUALA LUMPUR: The Palestinian Solidarity Secretariat has demanded its right to peacefully assemble and express dissent against the United States.
In a statement today, it said its activists were treated as criminals by the authorities, despite garnering support from over 70 NGOs and organisations across racial, religious and political lines.
This was following last night news reports that some 100 people started gathering in front of Menara TH Tun Razak for the proposed six-day "blockade" outside the US Embassy here.
The group was expected to march to the US Embassy in solidarity with Palestine and in response to the veto of the United Nations' efforts to push for a ceasefire in Gaza.
"Unfortunately, as we made our way towards the US Embassy, we were met with a police blockade outside Menara Tan & Tan.
"Despite our best efforts at reasoning and negotiating, the authorities refused to allow us access to the road in front of the US Embassy," read the statement.
The Palestinian Solidarity Secretariat emphasised that the "Piket Demi Palestin" (Picket for Palestine) was a peaceful demonstration of solidarity.
It also claimed that authorities threatened arrest when the group decided to stay put until Dec 31.
"We decided to set up tents and bases for the next six days along a sidewalk at Jalan Tun Razak that does not block traffic or inconvenient pedestrians.
"However, at 3am, we were greeted this time by enforcement officers from Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) asking us to remove our tents and end our picket," it said.
It said they were then forced to take down tents after a tussle and were only able to put the tents back up at 7.30am when it was drizzling.
"We demand our right to peacefully assemble and show our dissent towards the US for their continued support of the apartheid activities Israel is carrying out against the Palestinian people.
"This systemic genocide has been going on for the past 75 years and 81 days, it is time we tell America that Malaysians have had enough, and we are not going to stand idly by and watch a massacre.
"We will continue our picket as planned and invite everyone to join us as a show of support and solidarity towards our Muslim, Christian and Jewish Palestinian brothers and sisters," it added.