She told reporters this morning that police had agreed to only facilitate the gathering at Padang Merbok, and not for them to march to Parliament.

“We will see what happens,” she said.

There was a strong police presence at the Padang Merbok car park, with policemen outnumbering the lawyers as of 9.40am.

As of 10.20am, nearly 500 lawyers had gathered to attend the march.

Among those who had come for the march were former attorney-general Tommy Thomas and DAP’s Ipoh Barat MP M Kula Segaran.

Other politicians present included Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok and Teluk Intan MP Nga Kor Ming.

Also spotted were PKR’s Sungai Buloh MP Sivarasa Rasiah, Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah and former Batu MP Tian Chua.

Kula said the heavy police presence was unnecessary, and questioned if they were there to ensure their safety or to “report to their master”.

The Malaysian Bar’s “walk for judicial independence” is to voice their dissatisfaction over “intimidation” towards the judiciary.

Lawyers had voted in favour of the Bar’s resolution during its extraordinary general meeting to condemn an investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) into Court of Appeal judge Nazlan Mohd Ghazali.

MACC’s probe against Nazlan was made following a report about an unexplained sum of more than RM1 million in his bank account. The investigation papers have been submitted to the Attorney-General’s Chambers for further action.

The Bar had said constitutional procedures should be followed in the probe, contending that the Federal Constitution provides for complaints about alleged judicial misconduct to be handled in a manner that ensures continued public confidence in the judiciary.