Police decide to close parts of Male' city for planned opposition rally

Police have announced the closure of various parts of Male' city on Friday and Friday evening in anticipation of a planned rally by the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) protesting against corruption.

Various areas of Male' city will be inaccessible to public traffic and pedestrians at different times throughout Friday and into the evening. Police has requested the full cooperation and assistance of the public and has apologized for any inconvenience this may cause.

While the police did not provide an exact reason for the decision or specify which areas would be closed, they had previously issued a statement indicating they received information about "organizing criminal groups into factions with the intent to disrupt Male' and damage property" through the rally.

#MPSPressStatement: 171-A(C1)/PS/2025/18 - Regarding the event planned by some political parties for Friday, 3 October 2025: https://t.co/16WkqFYvOM#MPSNoosBayaan pic.twitter.com/3L9XH4fwhj

— Maldives Police (@PoliceMv) October 1, 2025

Similar statements have been common in police preparations for political rallies under previous administrations.

The rally is scheduled to commence at 20:30 at Artificial Beach, with the party intending to take to the streets at a certain point. The MDP has also stated that participants are arriving in Male' city from the atolls to join the rally.

In recent days, police have deployed a significant number of officers on the streets of Hulhumale' and Male' to conduct drills, ensuring readiness for any potential disturbances.