Selangor police chief Khalid Abu Bakar has denied that the police moved in on participants at a candlelight vigil last night while they were singing the national anthem.

"That is what they (participants) are claiming," Khalid told reporters at the Petaling Jaya police district headquarters about midnight.

When told that there was a video recording of the police action, Khalid replied: I am denying it.

He had been asked to comment on the arrest of 23 individuals, including a Malaysiakini videographer Shukri Mohamad and a Catholic priest, in front of the Petaling Jaya civic centre.

Shukri who was wearing a Malaysiakini vest and a media tag was detained for 'participating in an illegal assembly' even though he was clearly media.

Usually police would warn press photographers and videographers not to shoot, but this time according to Shukri, there was no warning. He was held and asked if he wanted to surrender the tape and camera, but before he could explain he was taken to a black maria.