PUTRAJAYA, Feb 10 — Police have formed a human barricade behind the steel gates erected to prevent supporters of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim from nearing the Palace of Justice’s entrance as the Federal Court upheld the conviction in the opposition leader’s Sodomy II case.

The police appeared to have been instructed to be on guard, with riot squads in standby formation behind another layer of police barricade, as a five-man bench led by Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria upheld the Court of Appeal’s verdict that Anwar had sodomised his then-aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan.

Five officers on horses are already on guard behind the 1,000 over crowd of Anwar supporters gathered just outside the court compound, showing that the authorities are already preparing for any eventuality of a riot should Anwar be convicted.

But the demonstration has so far remained peaceful.

There were musical performances by anti-establishment bands while opposition leaders and activists gave speeches calling for justice for Anwar.

“The police is already on standby,” said one of the demonstrator.

“I think we know what the outcome is,” the same person said smilingly.

Others smiled and nodded in agreement.

Activists, however, appeared optimistic that the Pakatan Rakyat federal opposition pact will survive whatever the outcome.

“Positive or negative, let today be a historic day where we say to the powers that be: we shall never give up this fight,” said one activist.

“Lawan tetap lawan! (A fight is still a fight!)” he added.

Anwar’s supporters believe the sodomy charge against him was engineered by his political rivals.

The High Court had in 2012 acquitted Anwar of the 2008 sodomy charge, but the appellate court ruled on March 7 last year that the trial judge had erred when rejecting the DNA evidence produced in the case.