YOURSAY 'Most people were dispersing. The duty of the police was crowd control and not to turn aggressors as they did on the slightest of provocations.'

Tear gas, water cannons fired at Bersih protesters

Ketuanan Rakyat: Bersih 3.0 was meant to be a sit-down protest. The Umnoputras and their running dogs turned it into a street demonstration.

Why couldn't the police allow protesters to walk in an orderly fashion into Dataran Merdeka and sit down for a couple of hours? The truth is they are afraid that the supporters will run into hundreds of thousands.

FairMind: If there were people who break through the barricades just arrest them and fine them according to the court order. There were so many police personnel stationed at Dataran yesterday and they couldn't handle a few of the gate crashers?

Why the necessity to fire tear gas and chemical-laced water at those innocent people further down the street, even as far as Petaling Street? Some of those hit were not even protesters.

The police were chasing people far away from the perimeter where the court order was issued for as if to get back at the citizens and show their might.

This is certainly a breach of the law by the police and a display of police brutality, intimidation and arrogance on behalf of their political master, BN.

There have been no change in democratic space since Bersih 1.0, and what PM Najib Razak promised is just mere lip service.

Jedi_Who: Most people were dispersing. If a few tried to remove barricades to Dataran Merdeka then the police should have arrested them. The duty of the police was crowd control and not to turn aggressors as they did on the slightest of provocations.

Bersih co-coordinator S Ambiga herself said that Bersih marshals would be the first to hand over any troublemakers to the police.

I believe Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein got the reason he wanted to issue the order to attack civilians. The sealing of entrances and shooting tear gas canisters at protesters claiming they are not dispersing is criminal.

Hishammuddin and Najib, who were hiding somewhere through all this, should resign. But expect a cock-and-bull story on how things went down from BN's point of view.

After all, the Bersih people had made the ruling government look like the common election cheats that they are.

James Dean: Those so-called ‘protesters' who created havoc yesterday were agent provocateurs out to cause trouble for Bersih 3.0. I was there and I can vouch that all the genuine protesters acted in a very gentlemanly way.

The home minister, by saying the day before that he had done his job and will not be responsible for whatever that could happen, has sent a signal to the police to infiltrate the march with agent provocateurs to cause trouble.

We will hold Najib and his government responsible. It makes no sense for protesters to make trouble towards the end of the protest. So seeing the protest was peaceful, the agent provocateurs were ordered to cause trouble.

Christina: I think the police did well in the beginning, and even when they started arresting all those who broke down the barricades and fired tear gas at those rushing into Dataran.

However chasing them all the way to Sogo was not necessary. Bersih 3.0 is a success - however Pakatan Rakyat's security should be out in front to prevent anyone from rushing towards Dataran.

Headhunter: Just when you think the police this time around are finally using their heads, out come the water cannons and tear gas. This only adds legitimacy to Bersih 3.0 and gives a reason to Malaysians to hate the government.

Azizi Khan: It looks like all the disruptions during the rally are being done by the Umno lackeys PDRM (Royal Malaysian Police) and DBKL (Kuala Lumpur City Hall). Let's make this the final sendoff for BN.

Anonymous_3ec6 : The stupidity of the BN government is exposed by their actions. Hishammuddin said the Bersih rally was not a security threat and yet they clamped down on the whole city.

Roadblocks by the police caused massive traffic jams and inconvenience to the public. What a hypocritical regime BN is. Vote them out, we deserve a better government than these idiocrats.

Imraz Ikhbal: The Bersih protest was planned to last only half a day on a weekend and that too with people sitting down. Nowhere in the history of the world has anyone unarmed and sitting down been a risk or danger to others.

Now let's recall the sole reason given by the government for denying Bersih 3.0 and the rakyat their right to gather at Dataran Merdeka. Was it not because it would apparently create road congestion and thereby chaos?

Was that not why the government insisted that it be done in a stadium instead so as not to inconvenience the public?

But rather than getting the police to help facilitate the half-day gathering and smoothen the traffic at Dataran Merdeka to ensure public safety of both the protesters and other citizens as a responsible government should do, what did they do instead?

Put up roadblocks and barricade the entire city and lock down the Dataran's perimeter for four days! So now who is the cause of chaos and traffic congestion?

2cts Worth: Hey you guys up there, your desperation shows like a neon light in the darkness of the night. We know and you know your end is near.

Why not make it easier on yourselves and give in graciously? Don't do desperate acts at all costs. Choose the more gentlemanly way to lose.

Pity Him: I was at Brickfields and the number of people was so encouraging. Thousands upon thousands turned up. I am happy that citizens are not cowed by the corrupt Umnoputras and its coolies.

Former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad, eat your heart out and watch the people wield their power over your misdeeds.

GoneBananas: Why would PDRM be against fair and clean elections if they themselves are fair and clean? By clamping down hard on Bersih, Umno-BN has admitted to the world how corrupt and rotten it actually is.

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. Over the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now .