A video of Delhi police personnel snatching a flag from a woman protester and tearing it into pieces has gone viral on social media. Several students and civil society members had gathered at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Friday to protest Israeli action in Gaza strip and in support of Palestine.
As the protest ensued, police briefly detained over 50 people protesting at the site. As the detainees were being taken away by the police, a woman protester was seen holding the paper flag of Palestine.
As woman cops were accompanying and guiding the women detainees, one of the male cops standing on the sidelines stepped in to snatch the Palestine flag from the woman. He then went on to tear the flag into pieces as the woman watched.
Watch the video here:
Protesters supporting Palestine detained from Jantar Mantar
On Friday, police reported the brief detention of more than 50 students and individuals from civil society who had assembled at Jantar Mantar for a pro-Palestine demonstration. According to a senior police official, the protesters had arrived at Jantar Mantar in separate groups and were subsequently held by the authorities.
"Since the protesters did not have permission, they were detained. They were taken to different police stations of Delhi," a police officer was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
The protesters chanted "Free Palestine" slogans, urging for an immediate ceasefire between the two nations. The conflict has been ongoing since Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, leading to a significant loss of life due to Israel's retaliatory strikes.
With Israel's punitive airstrikes, there has been a growing international apprehension regarding the well-being of civilians in Gaza.
The protestors attempted to advance toward Jantar Mantar, voicing their support for Palestine through slogans. As the demonstrators reached Jantar Mantar, law enforcement officers, accompanied by paramilitary forces, directed them onto police buses.
