A Palestine Solidarity Protest held at Delhi University on Thursday organized by the Fraternity Movement in association with MSF, AISF, ASA, Disha, and independent student activists was marred by violent disruptions after ABVP groups reportedly attempted to derail the gathering.
According to eyewitnesses, the ABVP group arrived at the protest site and began chanting Islamophobic and misogynistic slogans. Tensions escalated rapidly, leading to physical confrontations. Stones and eggs were allegedly thrown at protestors, resulting in several injuries. Reports have also surfaced of female participants being manhandled during the chaos.
“It was a peaceful rally, but we were attacked by members of the ABVP. They began chanting ‘Jai Shree Ram’ and then assaulted the students. Stones and eggs were thrown at the protestors,” said Nasha Fatima, General Secretary, DU Fraternity Movement, while talking to FoEJ Media.
“We were subjected to numerous offensive comments, including vulgar and sexually explicit remarks, along with derogatory taunts urging us to leave for Pakistan,” Fatima added.
Police forces arrived shortly after the outbreak of violence. However, students have accused the Delhi Police of using excessive and indiscriminate force, including dragging and assaulting protestors. Female students have alleged that they were detained without the presence of women officers, in violation of standard legal procedures.
As of the latest update, eight student activists remain detained at Model Town Police Station. Student organizations have issued urgent calls for their immediate release and have demanded an independent investigation into both the attacks and the conduct of the police.
The Delhi Police have yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident. Further updates are awaited.
SIO Condemns the Violence
The Students Islamic Organisation (SIO) of Delhi University strongly condemned the violence and subsequent detentions, alleging that members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), in coordination with Delhi Police, launched an unprovoked assault on the protest.
“The coordinated attack across campuses, from EFLU to DU, reveals how the state machinery and right-wing forces like ABVP are working hand in hand to suppress student voices and delegitimise any act of dissent,” Talha Mannan, National Secretary, SIO, said while talking to FoEJ Media.
“The use of Islamophobic slurs, physical assaults on women protesters, and the filing of non-bailable cases against student leaders expose the deep rot of hatred and impunity that has crept into our institutions.,” he added.
According to the SIO, several students were physically attacked, and at least eight were detained before the march could commence. “Rather than maintaining safety and order, the police aligned themselves with the assailants, targeting peaceful protestors and stifling their right to dissent,” the organisation said in a statement.
