Protesters from Left parties detained for pro-Palestine demonstration in Bengaluru

Left party protestors, including members of the Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPIM], and Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) [CPI ML], were detained on Friday, October 20 at Freedom Park in Bengaluru during a demonstration condemning atrocities in Palestine.

The protest at Freedom Park was organised to raise awareness about the ongoing conflict in Palestine and express solidarity with the Palestinian people. “We had sought permission to protest at Freedom Park from the police, which was denied,” a protestor said. As many as 70 protestors were picked up by the police and detained in Adugodi police station. 

Following a Karnataka High Court order in 2022, all the protests in Bengaluru have been restricted solely to Freedom Park. 

Read: Activists demanding right to protest detained by Bengaluru police 

Earlier this week, a group of activists and civil society members had gathered at the MG Road Metro Station to demand that India condemn Israel’s attack on Palestine. Around 30 activists were picked up by the police and detained in Ashok Nagar and Cubbon Park police stations on Monday evening. Bengaluru police booked the protestors for obstructing footpaths, creating public nuisance and not obtaining permission to stage the protest. Police officials had said that no permission was taken and demonstrations were allowed only in the Freedom Park area of the city. 

Since October 7, Israel and Hamas, a Palestine based militant group, has been engaged in a war following a sudden attack by Hamas. This crisis is being described as the most severe security situation in the region in the last five decades. 

Read: Hundreds gather in Bengaluru to show solidarity with Palestine, several detained by cops