Pro-Palestine protesters form human chain, hold candlelight march in Bengaluru

In the midst of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, more than a thousand supporters of Palestine staged a human chain and led a candlelight march through Bengaluru.

When they congregated near the MG Road metro station to form the human chain during the protest on Monday, a number of civil society organisations, including Bahutva Karnataka and the People’s Union for Civil Liberties, denounced the “genocide” committed by the Israeli army.

They intended to discuss the Israel-Palestine conflict and “debunk fake news spread by the mainstream media” about it at the Rangoli Metro Art Centre on MG Road. However, the Cubbon Park police kept the protestors from the MG Road boulevards.

But by six o’clock in the evening, hundreds of pro-Palestine demonstrators had congregated close to the MG Road metro station and were marching by candlelight to the Anil Kumble Circle. The police, who were overwhelmed by the demonstrators, permitted the march of to continue.

Aishwarya Ravikumar, general secretary of the PUCL, said, “It is unfortunate that in cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, protesters standing up for Palestine are being detained by police. India has always stood with Palestine. In Bengaluru, we tried to bring together people who continue to stand in solidarity with Palestinians no matter what people in power are trying to do. The genocide there has reached unprecedented levels.”

(With agency inputs)