#FreeDishaRavi: supporters slam arrest of Indian climate activist who backed farmers’ protests

New Delhi police say Disha Ravi shared a ‘toolkit’ to support the farmers’ protests with Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who later tweeted it

Her supporters say the government is misusing a sedition law and arresting activists expressing support to the farmers

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People demand the release of Indian climate activist Disha Ravi at a protest in New Delhi on February 17, 2021. Photo: AP

Published: 7:05pm, 17 Feb 2021Updated: 7:04pm, 17 Feb 2021

Indian police on Wednesday detained about a dozen demonstrators marching to the Parliament building in New Delhi to demand the release of a 22-year-old climate activist arrested over a document she circulated on social media to support an ongoing farmers’ protest.

The supporters shouted “Free Disha Ravi” and “Shame on Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah” outside the office of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), a student wing of the main opposition Congress party.

A heavy police presence overpowered about 40 protesters, including a dozen who were taken away in a bus. It was not immediately known whether the police were going to formally arrest them or free them later on Wednesday.

Activists from the National Students' Union of India protest against the arrest of climate activist Disha Ravi in New Delhi on February 17, 2021. Photo: AFP

Ravi, an activist linked to Swedish climate change campaigner Greta Thunberg, was arrested over the weekend on charges of sedition and remains in police custody.

New Delhi police say she shared a document, dubbed a “protest toolkit”, with Thunberg, who tweeted it earlier this month, drawing international attention to the farmers’ campaign against the Indian government’s move to deregulate agriculture produce markets and open them to private players. Thunberg later deleted that post.