An Austrian Jewish tourist was summoned by Kerala Police after a video of her tearing down a pro-Palestinian mural in Fort Kochi, Ernakulam district, went viral on social media.
The incident occurred on Monday night near the Fort Kochi boat jetty, where the tourist allegedly destroyed a pro-Palestine poster put up by the Students Islamic Organisation (SIO).
The police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the woman at the Fort Kochi police station under Indian Penal Code section 153 (wantonly giving provocation with the intent to cause riot, whether or not riot is committed). The offense is bailable, and the woman was released from the station.
The altercation began when the woman tore down a pro-Palestine poster that the SIO had erected. Local youths confronted the tourists, leading to a heated debate between the two parties.
On Tuesday, K S Azeem, the area leader of the SIO, filed a complaint with the police, seeking action against the woman. SIO activists managed to trace the woman to a homestay near Fort Kochi.
Despite the complaint, the police initially showed reluctance to take action. This led to a large gathering of SIO activists at the police station on Tuesday night, demanding that a case be filed and strict action against the woman.
The police were reluctant to respond at first, even after receiving the report. Subsequently, a large gathering of SIO activists gathered at the police station on Tuesday night and demanded that the woman be subjected to severe consequences and that a case be launched.
The SIO also staged a protest in front of the police station as the situation worsened. Around Tuesday midnight, the crowd demanded that they wouldn’t leave until a case had been filed.
The pro-Palestine posters had been put up during the New Year celebrations. The police stated that no permission had been granted to erect the posters in public places, but it was the responsibility of the local civic body to remove them.
The woman’s identity has not been revealed, and it is not clear whether she has been charged with any other offenses. The Kerala Police have not issued any statement on the matter, and it is unclear whether any further action will be taken against the woman.
Follow on Twitter | Posted by Sayima Ahmad | 
