President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives, who is widely recognized for introducing democracy to the secluded resort islands, stepped down on Tuesday following weeks of protests by the opposition that escalated into a police mutiny and what his aide described as a coup. Nasheed, the first democratically elected president of the Maldives, transferred power to Vice-President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik, stating that staying in office would force him to use violence against the people. In a televised speech, Nasheed explained, "I am resigning because I do not want to govern through force. I fear that if the government were to remain in power, it would resort to violence that would harm many citizens. I am stepping down because I believe that if the government continues, we may be subjected to outside influences." It was not immediately clear what 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 both said that Nasheed had requested assistance from India and been denied. India had previously helped thwart a coup in the Maldives in 1988 by sending soldiers to support the government. A spokesperson for India's Foreign Ministry, Syed Akbaruddin, stated that the rebellion in the Maldives was an internal matter to be resolved by the Maldivian government. Nasheed won the election in 2008 with promises to bring full democracy to the islands and raise awareness about climate change and rising sea levels. However, he faced criticism for arresting a judge he believed was biased towards his predecessor, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who had ruled the Maldives for 30 years. The arrest of Nasheed sparked protests and led to a constitutional crisis, with Nasheed facing accusations of behaving like a dictator. An official at Nasheed's office expressed concern, stating that they believed it was a coup orchestrated by the police, supporters of former President Gayoom, and certain factions within the military. The new president claimed that Nasheed was placed under protective police custody for his own safety. Saeed from the DQP stated that they will push for Nasheed to be prosecuted for his corruption and disregard for the rule of law, while also pledging full support for the new president. Vandals targeted the lobby of the opposition-linked VTV TV station, and mutinying police attacked and set fire to the main gathering place of Nasheed's Maldives Democratic Party. They also took control of the state broadcaster MNBC and renamed it TV Maldives. Soldiers used teargas against police and protesters outside the Maldives National Defence Force headquarters, and later demonstrators gathered outside the president's office chanting "Gayoom" on Tuesday. Gayoom's opposition party in the Maldives, the Progressive Party, accused the military of using rubber bullets on protesters. A party spokesman mentioned that many people were injured, but did not provide details. A government official denied the use of rubber bullets but confirmed that some police officers had disobeyed orders and attacked a ruling party facility. The official also mentioned that Gayoom's party had called for the overthrow of the democratically elected government and for citizens to launch a jihad against the president. The protests and competition for power leading up to next year's presidential election have caused political parties to adopt extreme Islamist rhetoric and accuse Nasheed of being anti-Islamic. This has highlighted the ongoing rivalry between Gayoom and Nasheed, with Nasheed having been jailed for six years and arrested 27 times by Gayoom's government for advocating for democracy. The vice-president is expected to lead a national unity government until the election. Despite this unrest, the 900,000 tourists who visit the Maldives each year are largely unaware, as they are taken directly to their luxury resorts where they can enjoy alcohol and spa treatments, shielded from the everyday realities of the Islamic state where alcohol is banned and modest dress is expected. Nasheed was well-known for his efforts to prevent the sea from overtaking his country, even going as far as conducting a cabinet meeting underwater in 2009 with ministers in scuba gear to bring attention to the issue. However, an Asian diplomat in Male stated that the public tends to remember Judge Abdulla Mohamed more than the underwater cabinet meeting, referring to Nasheed's decision to have the judge arrested for allegedly being corrupt. Meanwhile, a Twitter user named Alexander Brown mentioned being in the Maldives and witnessing a government overthrow while watching a Vogue photo shoot at the Four Seasons, describing it as a strange world.