FIR filed against Amnesty International?s Aakar Patel for urging Muslims to carry out George Floyd-like protests in India

Karnataka Police has registered an FIR against journalist and Amnesty International India’s Executive Director Aakar Patel for urging Muslims and Dalits to carry out the USA’s George Floyd-like protests in India.

According to a report by Deccan Herald, the case has been filed after Napgaraja DR, a police inspector at JC Nagar police station in Bengaluru accused him with charges of provoking and instigating people from minority communities to organise similar protests across India.

Quoting a tweet by Colorado Times Recorder, Aakar Patel had tweeted that India Muslims, Dalits, Adivasis, women and poor also need to do protests like these. “We need protests like these. From Dalits and Muslims and Adivasis. And the poor. And women. World will notice. Protest is a craft,” he had tweeted. The original tweet carried a video clip showing thousands of people gathering near Colorado’s Capitol Building to protest against the alleged custodial murder of George Floyd.

In his complaint, Nagaraja D R accused Akar Patel of provoking and instigating people belonging to minority communities to organise similar protests across India. Nagaraja stated that Patel had posted videos of Colorado protests and called on the minorities, backward, poor and women to stage protests.

Aakar Patel has been booked under IPC sections 505(1)(b) (with intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public, or to any section of the public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the State or against the public tranquility), 153 (Wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) and 117 (Abetting commission of offence by the public or by more than ten persons).

Reacting to Deccan Herald on the FIR, Aakar Patel is quoted as saying, “I don’t think the case should have been registered. I don’t think it will go anywhere.”