Police have apprehended 22 foreigners after a protest initiated by migrant workers at a construction site in Hulhumale’ turned violent.
The protest was held at the site of the MNDF and Police housing flats being built in Hulhumale and was carried out by the expatriates working under the developer of the project Island Experts.
But the protests turned violent after the demonstrators confronted Police on the scene and protesters damaged police vehicles and residences in the area.
It has been reported that several police officers also sustained injuries while trying to calm the unruly crowd of migrant workers.
Police said a total of 40 foreigners have been arrested following the scuffles and that the situation is now under control. Police also said organizers of the protests have now been transported to the labor quarter on site.
Police added that a team from its Public Safety and Response Unit of the Police Special Operations department was now on the scene.
Police said that the protesting migrant workers demanded unpaid salaries from the developer Island Expert.
Workers under the company had demonstrated last week as well as demanding their overdue pay and had said that they have not been paid for over 6 months. The workers also said that the company had failed to provide even the basic necessities to the migrants under its authority.
