Lawfare, Detention – Others

Police, on Sunday, detained around 20 citizens and activists who had gathered at Jangali Maharaj Road under the banner of Indian People in Solidarity with Palestine (IPSP), for around five hours, stating that they did not have the permission to gather. The protesters were later released with notices that they were booked for unlawful assembly and rioting, among others. The activists had gathered to protest peacefully against US President Donald Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ for Gaza and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Israel. The activists also alleged that the police pressured the protesters to give their names, phone numbers, addresses, refusing to release them without providing these personal details.

“Earlier, we were given permission to hold these demonstrations. But last night, they called our coordinator and said that we cannot protest as there were other events in the same area. We said, that is alright, but we are practicing our democratic right and we will go ahead with the same. However, the police were present at the protest site even before us to prohibit us from demonstrating,” said T. Lalita, one of the protesters and a member of IPSP.

Swapnaja Limkar, one of the members of IPSP and the coordinator of Sunday’s protest said that the protesters also offered to hold their demonstrations of the opposite side of the road.

“We said we could protest on the footpath on the opposite side. Our demonstrations would not have lasted longer than an hour. However, they were not ready to listen,” Limkar said.