On the night of October 3, 2025, the usually tranquil streets of Malé, the capital of the Maldives, became the stage for the largest anti-government demonstration since President Mohamed Muizzu assumed office in November 2023. Organized by the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), the “Lootuvaifi” (Stop the Looting) rally drew an estimated 2,500 people to the city’s Artificial Beach. The demonstration, spurred by accusations of government corruption, curtailment of freedoms, and worsening living conditions, quickly escalated into a tense standoff with security forces and resulted in a series of dramatic confrontations that have since reverberated across the island nation.
According to the Associated Press and Reuters, the protest began around 9 p.m., with MDP leaders addressing a spirited crowd waving national flags and calling for President Muizzu’s resignation. The party’s demands were clear and wide-ranging: repeal anti-defection constitutional amendments, settle outstanding payments owed to private contractors within five weeks, restore council powers revoked by recent changes to decentralization laws, repeal what they called a “media control law,” and ensure the availability of essential medicines through the Aasandha health insurance scheme.
The rally was not just a gathering of political activists. Former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and former Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid, both prominent figures in Maldivian politics, joined the protest. Their presence lent weight to the opposition’s claims and underscored the seriousness of the grievances being aired. As the crowd swelled, hundreds of police officers and military personnel were deployed, rerouting traffic, setting up barricades, and even deploying drones overhead to monitor the situation, as reported by Maldives Independent.
Tensions mounted when protesters attempted to march along Majeedhee Magu, the busiest street in Malé. Riot police, equipped with shields and pepper spray, blocked their path, leading to a nearly three-hour standoff. According to the Maldives Police Service, the protesters violated pre-agreed conditions by using unauthorized roads and allegedly throwing rocks and water bottles. The police responded by indiscriminately pepper-spraying those at the front lines, seizing the vehicle carrying the protest’s sound system, and, for the first time in the Maldives, deploying a Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD)—a sonic weapon designed for crowd control that emits a piercing alarm.
The use of the LRAD was swiftly condemned by opposition leaders. Abdulla Shahid, President of the MDP and former Foreign Minister, stated on social media, “I strongly condemn the violent dispersal and indiscriminate arrests of peaceful demonstrators in Malé tonight, as well as the excessive force used by Dr. Muizzu’s government. These actions raise serious concerns about human rights and police brutality.” Former President Solih echoed this sentiment: “I strongly condemn the government’s use of disproportionate force during last night’s peaceful protest.”
The MDP initially reported that at least 13 protesters, including former lawmakers and council members, were detained. Later, they clarified the number to eight, including former MPs Yaugoob Abdulla and Yasir Abdul Latheef, Maafushi Council President Hassan Solah, and Addu City Councillor Hassan Zareer. The party also accused police of denying detainees access to legal counsel. On Saturday afternoon, the criminal court released one protester with conditions, remanded six into custody for 15 days, and ordered the release of one within 24 hours, as detailed by Maldives Independent.
The protest was not without casualties. Mohamed Raslan, an MDP council member, suffered a heart attack after being pepper-sprayed at close range and subjected to the LRAD, the party said. The MDP called the use of LRADs “unprecedented in the Maldives and poses serious risks of permanent hearing damage, dizziness, nausea, and other severe health impacts.”
Journalists covering the event also faced difficulties. The Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) raised concerns over reports of targeted pepper spraying of journalists and cameramen. “Police also denied requests by journalists to move behind police lines to do their work,” the MJA said, urging authorities to “stop obstructing the press and ensure journalist safety.”
As the protest ended at midnight with a prayer, the government moved quickly to justify the actions of the security forces. In a statement issued the next day, the foreign ministry defended the police, citing the controversial Freedom of Assembly law of 2013, which restricts demonstrations in Malé to designated spots. “Despite instructions from the police, the MDP defied the designated route and forced their way into Majeedhee Magu—disrupting public order, breaking police barricades, and seizing police shields and obstructing police duties,” the statement read. The government insisted that officers “acted responsibly and with restraint in ensuring public safety, even in the face of obstruction and provocation from the protesters.”
The ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) also weighed in, condemning what it described as the “violent and unlawful actions” of the MDP. The PNC characterized the clashes as “deliberate, coordinated acts of aggression intended to incite violence, disrupt public order, and create instability.” Meanwhile, Ali Ihusaan, the Minister of Homeland Security and Technology, posted video evidence online and argued, “Forcibly taking equipment from an on-duty police officer is not considered a peaceful political activity, as it involves coercive or violent actions that disrupt law enforcement duties.” He also noted that the police had approved an alternative route for the event, which the protesters disregarded, suggesting their intent “may not have been to hold a peaceful event.”
The MDP, for its part, continued to press its case, accusing the government of violating basic rights guaranteed by the constitution and attempting to destroy independent media. The party highlighted rising commodity and electricity prices, a loss of confidence in financial institutions, and what it described as an unprecedented economic decline as reasons for the demonstration. In its call to action, the MDP urged both party members and civilians to join the rally, framing it as a stand against “theft and corruption committed by the government.”
The Maldives, an archipelago nation in the Indian Ocean, is best known internationally as a luxury tourist destination. Yet, beneath the surface, its politics have often been tumultuous. After 30 years of autocratic rule, a multiparty system was introduced in 2008, bringing hopes for greater democracy and accountability. The events of October 3, 2025, have once again cast a spotlight on the challenges facing democracy in the Maldives, as competing visions for the country’s future play out in the streets of its capital.
As the dust settles, the questions of accountability, civil liberties, and the right to protest remain at the forefront of Maldivian politics. The world will be watching closely to see how the government, opposition, and people of the Maldives navigate these stormy waters in the weeks and months ahead.
