When around 200 protesters owned the street in CP for close to an hour
A small group of protesters briefly occupied a street in Connaught Place, Delhi, before being dispersed by police. The event featured slogans and placards from various student groups, highlighting the ongoing tension between demonstrators and security forces.
Why it matters
The incident illustrates the challenges of public assembly and the 'guerrilla' tactics used by protesters in highly secured urban environments.
NEW DELHI: “Vote chor, gaddi chhod.” It was around 4pm when we heard slogans ring out as we approached the barricades sealing off Janpath from Connaught Place. Hundreds of security personnel, including the Rapid Action Force, stood guard around the blockade. On the other side of CP’s Outer Circle, along the Radial Road towards Central Park, a gathering of protesters was growing.Their numbers were small, around 200 at most. But for 45 minutes or so, they owned the street. For a brief while, it was July once more. The 50-metre stretch had spontaneously morphed into a ‘Jantar Mantar’. Most protesters were Gen Z, though many were older.Several activists climbed onto the Metro station wall to shout slogans. Others took up the rhythmic ‘azaadi’ chant, while some sat on the road giving interviews to mediapersons. A few of them flashed printed placards; others had slogans hurriedly scribbled on paper bags.
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