A total of 17 male and 14 female participants in the candlelight vigil were arrested and sent to the Dang Wangi district police headquarters (IPD).

Among the participants were #Lawan organiser Mohammad Asraf Sharaf, Undi18 co-founder Qyira Yusri, and Sarah Irdina Mohamad Ariff, the founder of youth-based group Misi Solidariti.

A total of six PSM members were also arrested around 8.45pm, central committee member Sharan Raj told FMT.

The participants also had their MyKad seized, according to rights activist Nalini Elumalai.

“We need to reject intimidation,” she tweeted.

Nalini, who went to provide assistance to those arrested, also claimed that lawyers were barred from seeing their clients.

In a Twitter post, Qyira said she along with other young women “had been dragged” to the Dang Wangi IPD.

Many of them were seen physically roughed up and dragged into the waiting Black Marias.

Participants were also heard repeatedly demanding the police to state whether they were under arrest, but their questions were ignored.

Amnesty International Malaysia described the arrest of those who took part in the candlelight vigil as “shocking”.

“We deserve to grieve and mourn. We have a right to freedom of expression.”