n the evening of June 14, a few young activists, allegedly associated with Islami Jamiat-i-Talaba congregated outside McDonalds, a popular fast food chain located in F-9 Park, Islamabad. Linking their hands to make a chain, the activists picketed the venue, blocking its main entry and stopping people from going in.

The purpose of this move, according to the activists, was to persuade people to comply with a boycott campaign initiated by them in solidarity with the people of Gaza. Some videos, circulating on social media, also showed a few young men manhandling visitors and stopping them by force.

Some of the families dining at the venue got scared and called the police. When the police arrived, a mob of protestors clashed with them. Many, including a senior police officer, got injured in the skirmish.

“We received a call from a family on Rescue 15 and rushed to the place,” a senior police official says. “The youth were violent and started attacking police. They were pelting us with stones,” he says.

Two complaints were lodged against the activists, many of whom remain unidentified. One case was lodged for the violence in front of the food chain. The second case was filed the next day when Islami Jamiat-i-Talaba activists protested against arrests made in the aftermath of the incident, blocking the way to the Pakistan Stock Exchange.

According to the FIRs, five to six dozen protestors were involved. Over a dozen were arrested afterwards. “Investigation is under way,” says a police official. “We know that many of the protestors were armed with batons and forcibly stopping people from entering the restaurant,” he says.

According to an IJT spokesperson, the demonstration outside the food-chain was organised with the objective of mobilising people, registering their protest and “raising awareness amongst families against Israeli and American sponsored fast-food chains.”

It was reported that some activists, along with their family members, also went to a fast-food chain and started preaching to people sitting inside to boycott such products and fast food chains. A few weeks ago, activists of a religious organisation vandalised and set on fire a fast food restaurant in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

“It was a demonstration against ‘Jewish products’ and police unfairly rounded up our activists from outside the multinational fast food outlet,” he said.

Similar incidents were occurring in the capital and other cities. Earlier, it was reported that some activists, along with other family members, went to the fast-food joint and started preaching to people sitting inside to boycott the products and fast food businesses. A few weeks ago, activists of a religious organisation had vandalised and set on fire a similar fast-food restaurant in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

At D-Chowk, the main entrance to parliament and Red-Zone of the capital city, activists supporting the Save Gaza Campaign have been on a continuous sit-in. Earlier, they had been sitting peacefully at a corner of the square. However, a car driver rammed his vehicle into the protest late one night. This resulted in two deaths and several people getting injured.

Following the incident the campaign organisers moved closer to the centre of the square, blocking the main roads. No government dignitary or minister has visited them since.

“We, our colleagues, friends and families are in protest. This is a noble cause. We’re standing up for the weak and the oppressed. Our colleagues launch different campaigns from time to time to create awareness,” says Imran Ahmad, a young activist participating in the sit-in. “We are demonstrating peacefully. We hope our other friends will also run peaceful campaigns.”

Ahmad says the government should send troops to Gaza to fight against Israeli forces. He is disappointed that there is no sign of this happening any time soon.

The writer is a staff member. He can be reached at vaqargillanigmail.com. He tweets at @waqargillani