In Kerala’s Kannur district, police have registered a case against the Girls Islamic Organisation (GIO) after its members staged a pro-Palestine demonstration on Friday at Madayippara. The suo-motu FIR was filed at Pazhayangadi Police Station, naming GIO Kerala General Secretary Afra Shihab and 30 other members. They have been booked under Sections 189(2), 191(2), and 192 read with 190 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which pertain to unlawful assembly and rioting. According to the police complaint, the group allegedly assembled “unlawfully” with an intent to create disturbance and held a rally without permission, waving flags, raising banners, and chanting pro-Palestine slogans.
The protest, however, was part of a larger solidarity movement echoing global outrage over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed and many more wounded since October 2023. Video clips from the demonstration show participants chanting “Free, free Palestine,” “Down with occupation,” and “Israel is a terrorist state.” While the police claim the event faced opposition from some organisations, they did not name them specifically. Critics argue that the action against GIO reflects an increasing crackdown on pro-Palestine voices in India, where activists have frequently faced legal action for rallies, displays of Palestinian flags, and online posts.
The FIR has drawn sharp criticism from civil society and political observers who accuse the Kerala government of hypocrisy. Former GIO president Afeeda Ahammed pointed out that the same state leaders had earlier expressed public solidarity with Palestinians, calling the current police action “political double standards.” SIO Kannur president Nidhal Siraj also condemned the move, vowing that pro-Palestine voices “will continue to burn on the streets and in campuses.” Despite the FIR, GIO announced plans to hold another solidarity meet at Payyambalam Beach in Kannur on Sunday, reinforcing their stance that they will not be silenced in their support for the Palestinian cause.
