WATCH: Jewish Tourist In Verbal Tussle With Locals Over Pro-Palestine Murals In Kerala’s Kochi; 2 Foreigners Booked
Israel-Hamas War: A video showing an Australian-Jewish tourist engaged in a heated verbal altercation with some local men in Kerala’s Kochi city has gone viral on social media. According to reports, two foreign female tourists alleged defaced and took down pro-Palestine murals in the port city, drawing the ire of the local Muslim population who confronted them after the act.
The video, which has been widely viewed and circulated on social media platforms, showed a woman tourist engrossed in a heated argument with local men, allegedly activists of a Kerala-based Islamist student outfit, after tearing down the banners.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:
ഫോർട്ട് കൊച്ചി കമ്മാലക്കടവിൽ sio സ്ഥാപിച്ച പലസ്തീൻ അനുകൂല ബോർഡ് വെച്ചതിൽ രണ്ട് ഇസ്രായേൽ സ്ത്രീകൾ വലിച്ച് കീറി നശിപ്പിച്ചു ഇന്നലെ രാത്രി 9 മണിക്ക് 15/4/24/ അത് ചോദ്യം ചെയ്തു വഴി യാത്രികൻ ആരാണെന്ന് അറിയില്ല#IsraelIranWar #Israel #kerala #India pic.twitter.com/9gjkkdL6UC
— Ashique Hussain / عاشق حسين (@47aq_) April 16, 2024
#Kerala : Condemnable act by an Australian #Jewish tourist summoned by Kerala Police for tearing down a Pro-Palestine mural in Fort Kochi.
Such actions undermine freedom of expression and dialogue. Let's uphold respect for differing perspectives. #Palestine pic.twitter.com/Dmv6Yu8dRQ— South Asian Chronicles (@SAChroniclesX) April 17, 2024
Brave Israeli tourist takes on Palestine supporters in Kammala kadavu, Fort Kochi. When the Israeli lady took down banners supporting Palestine, the locals questioned her and started filming her. She tries to educate them and tell them to stop fake propaganda against Israel. pic.twitter.com/k8nD5Agt6F
— Shubha Sreedharan (@ShubhaSreedhar2) April 17, 2024
(Note: India.com could not independently verify the veracity of the video)
The Kerala Police said they have registered a case against two women, both foreign tourists of Jewish origin, for allegedly destroying pro-Palestine boards erected by an Islamist student outfit in Kochi.
As per the police, the incident took place on Monday evening in the Fort Kochi police station when a foreign tourist, reportedly destroyed a pro-Palestine mural erected in front of the Jankar Jetty.
The murals, erected by a local student outfit known as the Students Islamic Organisation (SIO), contained protest messages against Israel for its military offensive in the Gaza Strip which has killed over 33,000 Palestinian people since Israel’s war with Hamas militant outfit broke out six months ago.
A police official said the two foreign tourists were passing through the area when they spotted the boards and one of the women allegedly went on to deface it and take it down.
The two women have been booked Section 153 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause a riot.
(With PTI inputs)