Group condemns police clampdown on pro-Palestine protests

Bengaluru: Bengaluru for Justice and Peace, a collective of various civil society organisations, has condemned the Congress government in Karnataka for "stifling" the voices of solidarity with Palestinians. 

It also decried the Karnataka police for "clamping down" on peaceful protests and public expressions of solidarity with Palestinian people. 

While Bengaluru police claim that the only designated place to protest in the city is Freedom Park, the Deputy Commissioner of Police rejected two permission letters for Palestine-related protests at Freedom Park citing "law and order issues", the group said at a press conference on Tuesday. 

In October, the Bengaluru police booked several activists for organising an "illegal" march for Palestine on MG Road. On November 5, police detained several people who took out a silent walk on Church Street. 

The collective also criticised India's decision to abstain from voting on a United Nations General Assembly resolution that called for a ceasefire in Gaza. 

The group is composed of the People's Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL), the All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), the Karnataka Janashakti, and the Solidarity Youth Movement. 

"In the context of India’s longstanding support for Palestinian independence, this decision is in complete contradiction with our previous state policy," they said. 

The PUCL's Aakar Patel and Arvind Narrain, the AICCTU's Clifton D’Rozario, Gowri from Karnataka Janashakti, Labeed Shafi from Solidarity Youth Movement and independent activist Nishkala were present at the press conference.