Tag: protesters

  • House of female Indian Muslim activist demolished for allegedly protesting against BJP

    House of female Indian Muslim activist demolished for allegedly protesting against BJP

    Authorities in India’s Uttar Pradesh demolished the homes of numerous people accused of being involved in protesting against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokespersons who made derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

    One of the houses that was demolished belonged to activist Javed Mohammed. The police accused Mohammed of being ‘one of the main conspirators of violence’ on Friday but others say that his house was bulldozed because he is the father of 22-year-old Muslim activist Afreen Fatima. According to The Quint, “The action against the student activist and her family is being widely criticised as another instance of the ‘bulldozer politics’ being perpetrated in BJP-ruled states.”

    Two protesters were also killed by the Indian police on Friday for protesting.

    The police opened fire on protesters on Friday.

    Read more- ‘World should severely reprimand India’: Muslim countries condemn BJP’s derogatory remarks about Holy Prophet (PBUH)

    “Police were forced to open fire to disperse protesters… resulting in the death of two,” a police officer in Ranchi told AFP.

    A local resident, Shabnam Ara, told AFP that the authorities cut internet connections in the city and imposed a curfew.

    “We are praying for peace and harmony,” she said.

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has condemned the Indian state’s “apparatus to browbeat Indian Muslims into submission.”

    “The reality of India’s “democratic face” is before the world to see,” he added.

    The derogatory remarks were made by BJP spokespersons Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal. India’s ruling party suspended Sharma and expelled Jindal. The two also issued public apologies.

  • ‘Coup attempt’: Four dead after Trump supporters storm US Capitol

    ‘Coup attempt’: Four dead after Trump supporters storm US Capitol

    At least four people were killed and scores were arrested after supporters of outgoing US President Donald Trump breached the Capitol last night to stop the electoral vote count that would certify the victory of President-elect Joe Biden.

    The protestors pushed through barriers and occupied the building for hours, where lawmakers had gathered to certify that Joe Biden had won the election. Lawmakers were evacuated from the building by the police following the chaos that, reports say, was a result of a speech by Trump calling the election stolen.

    In hours-long episode of violence, there were clashes between the protesters and the police officers and the police were called “traitors” as well. A BBC report described the scene at the Capitol as Trump loyalists waving placards with “show us the ballots” inscribed on them. “All we want is for the Capitol police to stand down, and surrender the building to us,” it quoted a Trump supporter.

    Rioters were seen marching through the building chanting “We want Trump” and one was photographed in the Senate president’s chair, as per a BBC report. Reports said there was an armed confrontation at the doors of the House of Representatives.

    CBS News reported that one woman was shot and killed by police after breaching the Capitol and attempting to enter the House chamber. “Three others died as a result of medical emergencies,” it quoted the Metropolitan Police Department.

    In order to quell the unrest, the US authorities had called in troops from neighbouring states, Maryland and Virginia in addition to the National Guard. However, it took them hours to secure the Capitol. The US media reported 52 arrests: four related to weapons charges after the recovery of six firearms.

    “Two pipe bombs, one near the Republican National Committee and one near the Democratic National Committee, were also recovered, along with a cooler filled with Molotov cocktails,” the media outlet reported.

    TRUMP BLOCKED ON TWITTER:

    Meanwhile, Trump has been blocked on Twitter and Facebook for 12 and 24 hours for instigating violence as he called upon his supporters to go home while still calling the election “stolen”. “I know your pain, I know you’re hurt,” he said. “You have to go home now, we have to have peace… we don’t want anybody hurt.”

    Visuals from inside the Chamber show that the protesters and the police are engaged in a standoff.

    President-elect Joe Biden, however, said the demonstration “borders on sedition and it must end now”. “At this hour our democracy is under unprecedented assault,” he reacted to the news of the assault on the Capitol. While another lawmaker said it was a ‘coup’ attempt.

  • Support pours in for arrested activist after picture with son goes viral

    Support pours in for arrested activist after picture with son goes viral

    Support has started pouring in for rights activist and Awami Workers’ Party (AWP) Punjab President Ammar Rashid, who along with dozens of others, was arrested by Islamabad police for staging a protest outside the National Press Club in Islamabad against the arrest of Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) leader Manzoor Pashteen.

    Lawmakers, including PTM’s Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir; AWP Vice President Ismat Raza Shahjahan, rights activists and students among 30 protesters were rounded up by the police on Tuesday. After being detained for four hours, the arrestees were finally transferred to the Kohistan Police Station, where a case was registered against them.

    With the detainees being presented before a court on Wednesday, 23 of them were sent to jail on a 14-day judicial remand, journalist Rabia Mehmood tweeted.

    It wasn’t later that support from netizens started pouring in for those “exercising their right to protest”.

    “Esa’s father is in chains for demanding his right to speak, life, fair trial and justice. State declared him a traitor, a rebel,” journalist and rights activist Shabnam Buneri wrote in a Facebook post.

    Here’s what Twitterati have to say about the arrests:

    Earlier in the day, Mohsin Dawar was released by Islamabad police. The lawmaker confirmed the development on Twitter.

    “I was told by the police that they were setting me free,” he wrote on the micro-blogging website. “I told them that I will not go until all the others are set free as well. Then they came back again, telling me that they will set all free, so I decided to leave.”

    Pashteen, who is still in state custody, was arrested up from the Tahkal area of Peshawar in the early hours of Monday. According to the FIR filed against the PTM chief, he is accused of using threatening and derogatory language against the state during a gathering in Dera Ismail Khan on January 18.

    Pashteen was on Monday presented before a court that handed him over to law enforcement authorities on a 14-day judicial remand.