Protest but ensure zero violence: Cops to citizens
Times of India | 20 August 2024
Kolkata: Cops have been reaching out to protesters and organisers of demonstrations, asking them to ensure “anti-socials and those prone to create trouble” don’t join them.
“The message is simple. Protest but ensure there is no violence. We are asking all organisers and also those participating in apolitical processions to keep their eyes and ears open and ensure no violence or law-and-order deterioration take place at any of these protest marches,” said a senior Kolkata Police officer.
Police said the organizers should contact them immediately if they suspected trouble-makers were joining the demonstrations or arriving at protest venues. Apart from sharing their contact numbers, police instructed that each of these rallies be videographed. “As of now, ASIs and SIs, who will be deployed at the protest sites, will record the proceedings on their mobiles and send the videos to the divisional DCP and Lalbazar,” said the officer.
At New Town and Salt Lake, police have been sending posts to residents’ groups on social media, listing out the dos and don’ts at protest processions. “We have been receiving inputs that rallies organized by the general public to protest this crime are being infiltrated by individuals with criminal intent. These individuals are preparing to create disorder by taking advantage of the rallies. In other words, they are attempting to use the protests as a cover to achieve their malicious objectives and then place the blame for the ensuing chaos on you. On behalf of the administration, we earnestly request you to ensure that during your protests, ensure no one else can create disorder and that you are not held responsible for any such disruptions,” read one such post that Bidhannagar Police sent to a residents’ group in New Town.
Among the examples of violence that police have been citing are the vandalism at R G Kar on the night of Aug 15 and stones being hurled at woman constables in Baguiati during protest marches. Cops said they had imposed prohibitory orders in and around the Salt Lake stadium and also at Shyambazar Five-Point crossing, banning meetings and assembly of more than five persons, fearing such trouble. The police advice, however, elicited mixed reaction. While some said they would try to follow the suggestion, a New Town resident said, “It’s the police’s duty to find out who is anti-social and who is not. By telling us what to do and what not to, they are trying to dampen the spirit of the protests, but the protests will continue. ”