PETALING JAYA, Nov 27 ― At one point last night during the rioting at the Sri Maha Mariamman Devasthanam temple in USJ 25, Malay Mail photographer Mohamad Azinuddin Ghazali found himself surrounded by at least 15 men.
He had tailed the group marching towards MCT Tower about one kilometre away from the temple before he realised he was the first eyewitness of the rampage that ensued.
“I was about 200 metres away from the group when they began their rampage at the MCT Tower by hurling stones and smashing the building’s glass facade.
“I took out my long-focus lens and began snapping before I heard shouts coming from one of the group who had spotted me,” he said.
Describing what happened next as frightening, Mohamad Azinuddin said he heard the demonstrators shouting “media, media!” before he was set upon by at least a dozen men who had broken off from the main group.
“I could not run as I was surrounded and one of them immediately snatched my camera from me forcefully, snapping a bag strap but I managed to get it back.
“One of the individuals demanded that I erase the photos from my camera and I complied,” he said.
However the group did not believe him and ordered him to remove his memory card which he did but he was then struck with a fist-sized stone thrown to the back of his head.
“The man then grabbed the memory card and proceeded to snap it in half before keeping it in his pocket,” he added.
The group then let him go with a stern warning. The entire confrontation was just 15 minutes long but it felt very much longer.
Thankful he was not hurt further, Mohd Azinuddin said such risks were to be expected in the line of duty.
He has since lodged a police report at the Sg Jarom police station.
During the demonstration, it is understood that some of the protesters threatened media personnel, and warned them against taking pictures or videos.
