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Tuesday January 1, 2008

Revellers attack cops at Gurney Drive

PENANG: The New Year Eve celebration at Gurney Drive turned unruly again when a group of revellers attacked the police with empty cans.

At least 15 people were arrested at the scene for hurling spray cans at police on their patrol rounds. Another three people were arrested for setting up makeshift stalls to sell artificial snow.

Fun time: Cyclists being sprayed with artificial snow as they pass by Gurney Plaza early this morning.
The incident, which took place 15 minutes before New Year, sparked off when police were called in to control a situation after an alleged fight had broken out at the site near Gurney Plaza.

When police arrived, the unruly crowd started to behave rowdily and hurled empty spray cans of artificial snow at the police.

Some of the cans hit the police and their motorcycles. The boos and verbal abuses hurled at the police only made things worse.

The problems apparently began after a group of cyclists, comprising mostly teenagers, were sprayed with artificial snow when they passed Gurney Plaza.

Two of them even had their bicycles snatched before the revellers standing on both rows sprayed the bicycles with artificial snow.

Police nearby were called in to control the crowd.

George Town OCPD Asst Comm Azam Abd Hamid said the people were arrested for vandalism and mischief.

“We have brought them back to Patani Road police station for further investigation. They have caused public disorder,” he said.

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