Bengaluru has risen: 100s protest molestation incidents

Activists and citizens’ groups staged protests in various parts of Bengaluru and other cities. The demonstrations aimed to pressure authorities into action and also encourage citizens’ participation. Further events are planned, including a march at Brigade Road on January 11.

A week after several women were molested at M.G. Road and Brigade Road in Bengaluru during New Year celebrations, hundreds of people staged protests at the same locations to demand action over the atrocities.

At the intersection of M.G. Road and Brigade Road, the activist group Citizens for Bengaluru organised a “freeze mob” demonstration on January 7. IB Times reported that women participants wore red bindis to denote zero tolerance and sported fake moustaches to show that only men were allowed in public spaces. Event organisers claimed that the protests aimed to show the molestation incidents brought collective shame to Bengaluru. Volunteers of the Whitefield Rising citizens group also participated in the protest.

Another group, (K)Night in Shining Armour, held its first meeting at Cubbon Park on the same day. The group, which operates on the basis of anonymous members, focuses on practical issues of safety including self-defence methods, knowledge of legal sections pertaining to women and police procedures. The group plans to organise a solidarity march at 8 PM on January 11 at Brigade Road.

Around 100 people gathered outside the Vidhana Soudha earlier in the day even though police attempted to scuttle the demonstration. Many of the protests were organised via social media platforms. The Bangalore Mirror reported that similar protests were organised in Mysuru, Davanagere and Bidar and even as far away as Chandigarh.