Thousands rally outside US embassy in KL over Israel's detention of 23 M'sians on aid ships to Gaza

Thousands of Malaysians gathered outside the United States embassy in Kuala Lumpur on Oct. 2, demanding that the country pressure Israel to release the Malaysians detained on Gaza humanitarian aid ships.

That same day, Malaysia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement that 23 Malaysians on board the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was intercepted by Israel, were detained.

It added that all detainees are safe and in good health, and will be deported to third countries.

Malaysia called the detention "unlawful", and urged for the detainees to be "treated in accordance with international law and released without delay".

The demands

More than 5,000 people attended the Oct. 2 rally even though it was organised at very short notice, Muhammad Kamil Abdul Munim, the chief of the People's Justice Party's youth wing, told Bernama.

Participants began gathering from 3pm before marching towards the embassy around 4pm, chanting "Down with Israel", Bernama reported.

Muhammad Kamil told the media that a memorandum was submitted calling for all the detainees to be released without action against them, for the U.S. to pressure Israel to let ships carrying aid reach Gaza, and for the U.S. to ensure that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "does not hijack the peace process currently underway".

According to Bernama, U.S. embassy officials declined to send a representative to receive the memorandum due to security reasons, but assured that it would be collected later.

At 9pm on Oct. 2, the Ultras Malaya, the supporters group associated with Malaysia's national football team, began another march outside the U.S. embassy, The Star reported.

The demonstrators waved Pales­tinian flags, and held flares and banners that read "Free Palestine".

Clashes with the police

A separate, earlier rally around noon that same day saw a scuffle between demonstrators and the police, resulting in two men getting detained.

The Kuala Lumpur police chief explained that tensions escalated when several people attempted to block traffic along a major road in front of the embassy, The Star reported.

"In the ensuing commotion, a police personnel sustained injury to his mouth after being elbowed while attempting to maintain security at the scene," he said.

A short video allegedly showing the police detaining a man during the rally was circulated online, sparking outrage over the treatment of activists.

Responding to the incident on Oct. 3, the police chief told Malaysian media that while the police respect the right to free speech and peaceful assembly, participants must comply with instructions from the authorities.

Trump's visit

The protests come ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's expected visit to Kuala Lumpur to attend the 47th Asean Summit scheduled for Oct. 26 to 28, at the invitation of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad urged Anwar to rescind his invitation, as Trump has been a "central enabler of the genocide carried out by Israel against the Palestinians".

Akmal Saleh, leader of the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) youth wing, also urged the government to cancel the invitation to Trump unless the flotilla detainees were released, threatening to otherwise hold a mass rally when the U.S. leader visits.

If the government does not do so, all UMNO youths would hold a mass rally during Trump's visit, Saleh threatened in a Facebook post on Oct. 2.

"Let’s face Trump directly! Hurt them, the way they hurt all Malaysians!" he wrote.

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