MALE, Maldives — Maldives soldiers on Tuesday fired rubber bullets and clashed with police officers who were defying a presidential order to end a protest against what they perceive as illegal orders by authorities.
Hundreds of police started demonstrating early Tuesday in the capital, Male, after officials ordered them to withdraw protection for government and opposition supporters protesting close to each other. The withdrawal resulted in a clash that injured at least three people.
President Mohamed Nasheed later visited the police and urged them to end the protest, but they refused and instead chanted for his resignation. Reporters saw soldiers firing rubber bullets, but an official from the president's office denied that.
Military Joins Police and surrenders to the people and the police. Now Military and Police controlling Maldives. Soon they will transfer power to vice president. Police Gave 13:30 local time for President to resigns. He is in MNDF(Maldives National Defence Force) HQ. Under Military Protection. Police arrests several of their commanders who supported the president.
Protests have become a daily occurrence in the Maldives after Nasheed ordered the arrest of a senior judge three weeks ago. The chief judge of the country's criminal court, Abdulla Mohamed, was taken into custody after ruling a government critic's arrest was illegal and ordering him freed.
