About 500 people congregated at the area from 2pm, calling for prices of goods to be lowered. Police stopped them from marching to Dataran Merdeka.

Dang Wangi district police chief Noor Dellhan Yahaya said police have taken note of the placards and other statements made by protesters at the event.

He said an investigation paper has been opened under the Peaceful Assembly Act which requires notice of at least 10 days to be given before an assembly is to be held.

“For now, 30 persons who took part in this assembly have been identified and will be called in to have their statements taken. Based on our observation, about 100 people took part in the event. They comprised university students and politicians,” he said in a statement.

On Thursday, a group calling itself “Turun Malaysia” said it would stage a protest and called on students and other young Malaysians to gather at the shopping complex to make their voices heard over rising prices and the higher cost of living.

Police had warned protesters against gathering there. However, the organisers said they would go ahead with the protest “because the right to assemble was guaranteed under the law”.