Several student activists were detained by Delhi Police on Tuesday afternoon while marching to the Israeli Embassy to protest the ongoing siege and genocide in Gaza, as well as the recent detention of 12 crew members of the Madleen aid boat of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) heading to Gaza by Israeli forces in international waters.
Students holding placards and chanting slogans demanded an end to India’s diplomatic and economic ties with Israel, and marched towards the Israeli Embassy in APJ Abdul Kalam Road against what it called the “inhuman siege of Gaza”.
“Release all the activists from the Freedom Flotilla” and “End the siege of Gaza,” read some of the placards.
Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union President Nitish Kumar, All India Students’ Association Secretary at Jamia Millia Islamia, Saurabh, Students Federation of India (SFI) Delhi President Sooraj Elamon, Joint Secretary Mehina Fatima, Fraternity Movement National General Secretary Mohammed Alfauz Azmi, along with several other students and activists from Delhi, were detained by the Delhi Police.
“Free, free Palestine,” detained activists continued their chants, as seen in several videos from the scene.
Around 30 individuals who were detained for protesting were taken to the Bawana Police Station and released after some time.
All India Students’ Association condemned the detention, calling it “brutal” and demanded boycott and divestment from Israel and an end to the joint ventures, weapons deals from the “genocidal state of Israel” by the Indian government.
Condemning the arrests, SFI Delhi said, “The Delhi Police, acting as an extension of the government, reflects a corrupted stand,” highlighting “While Israel commits one of the worst genocides in contemporary history and enforces mass starvation on Palestinians, our government remains silent and is actively suppressing voices speaking out against Israel’s actions.”
“Numerous students and activists have been detained only for seeking the release of activists who were delivering life-saving aid to Gaza, in complete concurrence with international law. This is a grave blot to democracy!” they said.
“The violence perpetrated by the police cannot dim our resolve in demanding the immediate release of the abducted activists aboard the Freedom Flotilla and our steadfastness in urging for a free Palestine!” they said, adding, “The students, despite the repression, have refused to move and will soon resume marching towards the embassy.”
Democratic Students Federation (DSF) in a statement said, “The crisis in Gaza is not merely a regional conflict but a test of global conscience and India’s commitment to its anti-colonial heritage,” stressing, “As activists and students of JNU, an institution built on the principles of anti- imperialism and solidarity with liberation movements.”
“We unequivocally condemn the ongoing genocide in Gaza and demand immediate freedom for Filastin,” they said.
Israeli forces seized control of the Madleen, a British-flagged, civilian-led aid vessel bound for Gaza, on Monday.
Operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), the boat was attempting to deliver a symbolic amount of humanitarian aid to the besieged Palestinian enclave.
All 12 crew members were forcibly abducted from international waters and taken into Israeli custody.
Four of them, Baptiste Andre and Omar Faiad from France, Greta Thunberg from Sweden, and Sergio Toribio from Spain, have since been deported.
The remaining volunteers still in detention include Suayb Ordu (Turkey), Mark van Rennes (The Netherlands), Pascal Maurieras (France), Reva Viard (France), Rima Hassan (France), Thiago Avila (Brazil), Yanis Mhamdi (France), and Yasemin Acar (Germany).
The seizure of Madleen has sparked global outrage, with protests breaking out across European cities.
 heading to Gaza by Israeli forces in international waters.){kind=link}