Date:06/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/06/stories/2009010656000400.htm

New Delhi

Students protest Israeli attack on Gaza

Staff Reporter

Photo: Shanker Chakravarty

Students protesting in front of the Israeli Embassy in New Delhi on Monday against attacks on Gaza.

NEW DELHI: Protesting against the Israeli strikes on Gaza, students of Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University held a demonstration outside the Israeli Embassy here on Monday. The agitators, hurling shoes and slippers in the direction of the embassy, were stopped by police some distance away from the building.

Carrying placards like “Stop killing innocents in Palestine” and “Down with Israel state terrorism”, the protesters shouted slogans against Israeli “invasion”. They also burnt an Israeli flag before being detained by the police.

Nearly 50 students from different organisations at JNU, such as the Students’ Federation of India, the Progressive Students’ Union and activists of the Democratic Youth Federation of India, emerged from one of the by-lanes on Aurangzeb Road around 4 p.m. and began running towards the Israeli Embassy.

Police caught unawares

Since it was a flash demonstration, the police were caught unawares. However, media presence outside the embassy alerted the Israeli officials. They informed the police who later strengthened their presence outside the building.

“We have come here to convey a message to the Government that the youth are against the Israeli offensive on Gaza,” said an SFI activist, Dhananjay Tripathi.

“We are against the Gaza bombings. We condemn the killing of innocents there and express our solidarity with the Palestinians,” said Vibha, an activist of the PSU.

Palestinian Shadi Farrokhyani, who is doing her Ph.D. from JNU, urged Indians not to remain silent on the issue.

“It is not just Hamas but a lot of innocent civilians are being killed in the strikes. There have been massive demonstrations all over the world. I am happy that in India also people are reacting, especially the Left parties that have shown solidarity,” she said, holding a placard.

Traffic was held up briefly on Aurangzeb Road because of the protest.