CHENNAI: Although the
Marina beach
remains out of bounds for any protest or gathering, members of the May 17 Movement attempted to hold a candlelight vigil on Sunday evening to commemorate the eighth anniversary of the end of the
civil war in Sri Lanka
.
Police picked up 249 people who came to participate in the programme including 15 protesters sporting black shirts and carrying the images of LTTE chieftain V Prabhakaran.
Though the Chennai city police denied permission for the gathering, citing prohibitory orders under section 41 of Madras city police act which restrict any form of gathering at the Marina, the May 17 Movement announced that it would go ahead with the event. Anticipating trouble, a huge posse of cops had been posted at the Marina beach. The stretch between Gandhi statue and Labour statue was barricaded and no vehicles were allowed to pass through from the afternoon.
Police were kept on their toes in regulating the protesters who tried to squat on the Marina sands. Since members of the public had come to visit the beach in the evening, the cops had a tough time identifying the protesters.
“We have been remembering the genocide of Tamils in Lanka by way of a candlelight vigil for the past seven years. We will continue to do it,” said the movement’s organiser Thirumurugan Gandhi. Among those taken into custody, 34, including Gandhi and director Gowthaman, were remanded in judicial custody.