Feature Image Credits: Owen Yancher (@dhspunter on Twitter)
A statue of Mahatma Gandhi was recently vandalised by unknown miscreants in Davis, California on 28 January. Photographs of the damaged statue were shared by several people on social media. The Indian government had even condemned the incident. Talks were also on to install a new statue at the damaged one’s stead.
On Sunday, Indian-Americans gathered together as a mark of protests against the vandalism. However, they were met with activists from the California Sikh Youth Alliance (CSYA), who opposed the Gandhi statue and held counter-protests. The events soon took a dark turn.
The CYSA counter-protesters hurled obscenities at the gathered Indian-Americans, most of whom happened to be Hindu, and invaded people’s personal space. Matters got so tense that the police had to get involved.
Protests are truly turning insane. Davis community members asked for a moment of silence and asked everyone to sit and maintain social distance.
Protesters screamed obscenities and got in people's faces. Police now on the scene.
Dangerous situation in Davis, CA pic.twitter.com/ucSoNeskdO
— Suhag A. Shukla (@SuhagAShukla) January 31, 2021
They also called Mahatma Gandhi a ‘rapist’ and a ‘sex offender’, and went on celebrate the act of vandalism. They held up a poster which described Mahatma Gandhi as a ‘Devil’ and called him anti-Black and accused him of having ‘Nazi-love’.
“It is absolutely unfair to have such a questionable figure planted in parks,” Dr. Prabhjot Singh, one of the counter-protestors, said. “We’re talking about a pedophile statue.”
Another group just arrived and is disrupting the protest. This group is celebrating the #GandhiStatue decapitation.
They are chanting "Gandhi was a rapist" and "Gandhi Kutta Hai Hai"
Truly despicable. Atmosphere is tense. #CentralPark Davis, CA. @Ash_Kalra @RoKhanna @RepBera pic.twitter.com/IceNc9b1nK
— Suhag A. Shukla (@SuhagAShukla) January 31, 2021
The CSYA is a pro-Khalistani Sikh organisation, known for its support to the ongoing agitations against the Centre’s farm laws in India. On Republic Day, the CSYA had shared sweets to celebrate the riots and the hoisting of the Khalistani flags on the Red Fort. The CSYA has also said that they will lobby against the re-installation of the statue.
Local journalists shared photos of the protests on social media.
Members of @THE_CSYA and the local Sikh community are protesting in Davis today against support for the Gandhi statue, which was destroyed and removed earlier this week. Photos by @dhspunter. pic.twitter.com/FjIbdz6aIh
— Caleb Hampton (@calebmhampton) January 31, 2021
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