Bersih 5 rally groups converge outside Dataran Merdeka

KUALA LUMPUR: After hours of delay, some 5,000 Bersih participants from the National Mosque finally managed to converge with the main group outside Dataran Merdeka.
The group from the National Mosque had to take a longer detour via Jalan Tun Sambathan, as police barricades along Jalan Kinabalu had hindered their initial walking route.
The group made its way from the location around 12.30pm before arriving at Masjid Jamek LRT station, in front of Dataran Merdeka, an hour later.
They were then welcomed with cheers and the piercing sound of vuvuzelas, an instrument which has now become synonym with the Bersih series of rallies.
The group from Masjid Negara had earlier planned to wait for another crowd coming from Bangsar, but police blockade along their route had forced them to change their plan.
The crowd of Bersih 5 supporters in Bangsar were asked by rally organisers to disperse and find their own way to Dataran Merdeka after several hours of being blocked from progressing by the police.
It is estimated that the crowd near the Dataran Merdeka has swelled to around 10,000 strong participants.
Police has however blocked any passage into the iconic square, forcing participants to gather along Jalan Tun Perak.