Police act on anti-Israel slogans, pro-Palestine and Iran posters during Muharram rallies in Kashmir

Tension has been simmering in parts of Kashmir after police removed posters of Hezbollah co-founder Hassan Nasrallah and former Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini during Muharram processions in Srinagar and Budgam, leading to outrage and protests from the local Shia community.

The incident took place earlier this week when a police team dismantled a banner featuring Nasrallah and Khomeini near a bridge in the Ashai Bagh area of Srinagar, prompting residents of the predominantly Shia locality to protest, as the poster had been put up as part of the religious mourning rituals observed during Muharram, The Wire reported.

The situation escalated further the next day when police attempted to remove more posters during a Muharram rally in Budgam’s Magam area, where large crowds of mourners resisted the action and allegedly roughed up two police officers.

The rallies, which were previously banned in Srinagar and elsewhere in the Valley since the early 1990s due to insurgency, had resumed last year after authorities lifted the restrictions, allowing thousands of Shias to participate in traditional processions on the 8th and 10th days of Muharram.

However, this year’s commemorations have unfolded under heightened political tension, as Shia leaders have accused the police of obstructing expressions of solidarity with Palestine, which they argue forms an integral part of both Muharram and India’s traditional foreign policy.

In another related development, police recently removed graffiti resembling the Israeli flag from a Srinagar road, which had reportedly been painted by minors who were later counselled and released. The move has been perceived by some as part of a broader pattern of increasing intolerance towards public expressions of support for the Palestinian cause in Kashmir, particularly during religious events like Muharram.

Following the protests, the Srinagar police issued a warning to social media users, urging them to refrain from sharing videos or content related to the poster removal, citing concerns about public order and communal harmony. Authorities stated that violators would face legal action under applicable laws.