Freedom Park in Bengaluru became the site of a powerful demonstration on April 11, as nearly 200 citizens—including students and youth—gathered to protest Israel’s recent ceasefire violations in Palestine’s Gaza. Organised by the All India Students Association (AISA), affiliated with the Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation, the protest saw participation from groups such as the Students Islamic Organisation (SIO), the All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), and COLLECTIVE India, a socialist student-youth movement in India.
The police initially demanded the removal of Palestinian flags with threats to register First Information Reports (FIRs), but the protesters refused, saying no prior communications were made regarding restrictions on flag display.
The protesters raised slogans supporting Palestine and condemning the global powers complicit in Israel’s continued offensive. AISA members Geetha and Ganga opened the protest, joined by AISA Bangalore district president Sachin. The members discussed the geopolitical dimensions of the alleged genocide, sharply criticising the United States’ foreign policy and called on the Indian government to reconsider its military and trade relations with Israel.
“We are gathered here in solidarity for Palestinians and the people of Gaza, who have been facing brutal oppression by Israel and its allies for over 70 years,” said Geetha, addressing the crowd. She pointed out that many Indians believed this oppression started on October 7, 2024, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel.
“Most Indians are not aware of the ground reality. We are here to show the Indians and tell everybody that we care for Palestinians, and we will tell the truth to everybody who is misinformed. And we will fight until we get justice for Palestinians and the people of Gaza and all the oppressed people in Palestine,” Geetha added.
One of the speakers at the protest, activist Clifton D’Rozario, drew attention to India’s historical support for Palestine, alleging that this legacy is now under threat. “The great freedom struggle that granted India its freedom always had the interests of the Palestinians in its mind, which is why from the time India got independence, it has always stood in support of Palestine. But today, we have a dispensation at the centre, a right-wing that does not want any kind of solidarity with Palestine for the single reason that Palestine is Muslim,” he alleged.
He further stated that the Islamophobia and the “bigoted policies” of the national government coincided with those of the Zionist state of Israel, adding that this was why even gathering in support of Palestine has become a challenge across the country.
The protest also featured cultural expressions of solidarity, including poetry readings and songs. A playwright and theatre director, who teaches at a university in Bengaluru, read four literary works by Palestinian artists—including Hadeel by Rafeef Ziadah and If I Must Die by Refaat Alareer.
Priyank Asha Sukanand, Karnataka State Head of the Coalition of Sex Workers and Sexual Minorities Rights (CSMR), urged the public to recognise the broader implications of the violence. “It's really important for us to recognise that it's much more than just religious sentimentality. It is occupation; it is systemic violence, systemic discrimination of all people, regardless of their faith.”
Priyank pointed out that the people of India rightfully stood against foreign aggression when Kargil happened and questioned why the same doesn’t apply to Palestine. He urged the Indian government to lend aid to Palestine and call for a proper ceasefire.
As the protest drew to a close, protesters chanted slogans, stomping on images of the US and Israeli flags and burning effigies of US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The gathering ended with a display of Palestinian flags, echoing a call for justice and accountability.