Cops threatened us over Palestine flag: Protesters

NT Correspondent Bengaluru: Civil society members staged a protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on Saturday against the continued Israeli bombardment of Gaza. Demonstrators alleged city police threatened them with First Information Reports (FIRs) if they carried the Palestine flag, which forced them to show up with watermelon slices which bear the same colours as the occupied country’s banner. This was a practice made popular by Palestinian protestors who showed up with watermelons when the display of their flag was banned by Israel, an occupying power.

The claim by protesters comes in the backdrop of outrage by BJP and right wing groups over the display of Palestine flags during Eid Milad celebrations in several cities of Karnataka on September 15. Pro-Palestine demonstrators numbering around 600 including People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) and All India Students Association (AISA), the student’s wing of Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) and Sexual Minorities Forum (SMF) demanded that India cut off ties to Israel. They pointed out that it had been nearly a year since the Israeli bombardment of Gaza began. “When the Israeli government banned the Palestinian flag, and even the watermelon as it contained the colours of the flag, the watermelon became a symbol of Palestinian resistance.

Bengaluru Police has forced us to use the same symbol here with their threats and that is why we are distributing watermelons in this protest,” PUCL General Secretary Aishwarya R said. AISA member Sachin said the impact of US-Israeli imperialism extended to Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, and Iran. “Palestinians have paid a heavy price in Gaza and the West Bank with countless lives lost, yet they continue to resist. Israel uses Mossad centres and military bases within civilian areas as human shields. We must question why the Karnataka Police fears the Palestinian flag, revealing their support for a genocidal state,” he said. Mallamma from the Sexual Minorities Forum stated that it was natural for India – a country that broke the shackles of colonial rule – to be opposed to US-Israeli imperialism. “The Indian government should be ashamed of collaborating with Israel for arms and military technology. The LGBTQ+ community stands firmly with Palestinians!” she said.