President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives, who is widely recognized for bringing democracy to the secluded resort islands, stepped down on Tuesday following weeks of opposition protests that escalated into a police mutiny and what his aide described as a coup. Nasheed, the Maldives' first democratically elected leader, transferred authority of the Indian Ocean archipelago to Vice-President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik, stating that remaining in office would mean resorting to force against the people. In a televised speech, he stated, "I am resigning because I do not want to govern through the use of force," and expressed concern about the potential for foreign influences if the government remained in power. It was not immediately clear which influences he was referring to, but Hassan Saeed, leader of the DQP, a party in the opposition coalition, and an Indian diplomatic source in Colombo stated that Nasheed had asked for help from India and was denied. In 1988, India had helped thwart a coup in the Maldives by sending soldiers to support the government. India's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Syed Akbaruddin, said that the rebellion was an internal issue for the Maldives to resolve. Nasheed won the election in 2008, promising to establish full democracy in the Maldives and advocating strongly for action on climate change and rising sea levels. However, he faced criticism for arresting a judge whom he accused of being influenced by his predecessor, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who had ruled for three decades. Protests following the arrest led to a constitutional crisis, with Nasheed facing allegations of behaving like a dictator. An official from Nasheed's office, speaking anonymously, described the situation as a coup, claiming that the police, supporters of Gayoom, and certain factions within the military had pressured Nasheed to resign. The new president stated that Nasheed was placed under protective police custody for his safety. Saeed of the DQP stated that they will push for Nasheed to be prosecuted for corruption and violating the rule of law, while also offering their full support to the new president. Vandals targeted the lobby of the opposition-affiliated VTV TV station, and mutinying police attacked and set fire to the main gathering place of Nasheed's Maldives Democratic Party before taking control of the state broadcaster MNBC and renaming it TV Maldives. The following day, soldiers used teargas on police and protesters who surrounded the Maldives National Defence Force headquarters in Republic Square. Demonstrators later gathered outside the president's office chanting "Gayoom." Gayoom's opposition Progressive Party of the Maldives accused the military of using rubber bullets on protesters, resulting in numerous injuries according to party spokesman Mohamed Hussain "Mundhu" Shareef. Despite an official close to the president denying the use of rubber bullets, it was confirmed that a group of police officers defied orders and attacked a ruling party facility. The official also mentioned that Gayoom's party had called for the overthrow of the Maldives' first democratically elected government and for citizens to launch jihad against the president. The protests and competition for power before the upcoming presidential election have led political parties to adopt extremist Islamist rhetoric and accuse Nasheed of being anti-Islamic. This situation has highlighted the ongoing rivalry between Gayoom and Nasheed, who was imprisoned for six years and arrested 27 times by Gayoom's government while advocating for democracy. The vice-president is expected to lead a national unity government until the presidential election. Despite these political tensions, the issue has not affected the approximately 900,000 affluent tourists who visit the Maldives annually to enjoy its picturesque islands and beaches. Most tourists are transported directly to their luxurious accommodations, where they can consume alcohol and receive spa treatments, shielded from the realities of everyday life in the Maldives as a strict Islamic state where alcohol is prohibited and revealing attire is disapproved of. Nasheed was well-known for his efforts to raise awareness about the threat of rising sea levels in his country. In 2009, he made headlines by holding a cabinet meeting underwater, with ministers wearing scuba gear. Despite the attention this event received, it is now largely forgotten, with many people instead remembering Nasheed's controversial decision to have a judge arrested. A diplomat in Male pointed out that while the underwater meeting has faded from memory, the arrest of Judge Abdulla Mohamed remains a significant event. In the midst of political turmoil, a Twitter user named Alexander Brown shared his observations of the situation in the Maldives, noting the surreal experience of witnessing a Vogue photo shoot while the government was being overthrown.