Maldives Police Service (MPS) has admitted security failures in the lead-up to the violent disruption of the World Yoga Day event held at the National Stadium on June 21.
During a press conference held on June 27, Assistant Commissioner of Police Ali Shujau said MPS accepts its failure to maintain security of the event at the National Stadium on June 21. Shujau said MPS has worked much more professionally during major protests and other similar incidents in Male’ prior to this event and would have been expected to do much better than it did in this event. He said MPS accepts its security failures that led to the incident, adding statements have been provided to the sub-committee formed by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to investigate the incident.
The World Yoga Day event was held on June 21 at the National Stadium by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment and the Indian High Commission in the Maldives. Youth Minister Ahmed Mahloof, Indian High Commissioner to the Maldives Munu Mahawar, and foreign diplomats attended the event. Several individuals had gathered nearby to protest the event and later broke through the police barricades and entered the stadium. The protesters damaged some items in the area and witnesses said some participants were attacked.
MPS has arrested a total of 21 people over the incident, including former Parliamentarian Mohamed Ismail and religious scholars Sheikh Fazloon Mohamed and Sheikh Adam Nishan. The case is under investigation by the Serious and Organised Crime Department of MPS.