Video of Police use tear gas and lathi charge in UP over I Love Muhammad protests

In spite of earlier warnings by the UP police against disrupting public peace, the protest allegedly intensified only when some started pelting stones, providing the authorities with a reason to use force. Rapid Action Force (RAF) and Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) police personnel were rushed in to



restore peace, underscoring the high-handedness of the response to what was originally a largely peaceful protest.

Earlier, there were reports from the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) that 21 FIRs had been registered, naming 1,324 Muslims and leading to 38 arrests, in relation to demonstrations against Kanpur’s Barawafat procession and the waving of banners with the slogan.

The incident has drawn criticism over the handling of expressions of religious sentiment by the authorities, with many questioning whether such heavy-handed tactics were necessary against a largely peaceful demonstration.