Alarmed at the spurt in crimes against women in the city, a large group of citizens under the banner of the Facebook group ‘Win Bangalore Back’ held a rally at Freedom Park here on Sunday.
The rally ‘Red Brigade’ witnessed participation from hundreds of supporters who had donned red shirts to show solidarity with the cause.
Police Commissioner Raghavendra H. Auradkar, who visited the protest venue, held an open forum with the protesters. On concerns raised about failure of the police in being sensitive to crimes against women, he said there was no need to be worried and the police would ensure their safety.
He also said that the police would address the concerns raised over the police not filing FIRs and “harassing” those who did not know the local language.
Earlier at the protest, a portion of the play Vagina Monologues , about the struggles of a Bosnian rape survivor, was staged at the venue. The audience, which was moved to tears, expressed outrage against the brutality of crimes against women and the alleged inaction by the police.
Mavis Mendonca Smith, who initiated the Facebook group, said that the response received from citizens showed their concern “over the city turning unsafe for women”.
One of the protesters, Javed Ahmed, said that he was deeply disturbed by the recent sexual abuse of a six-year-old girl in a private school.
“It could have been any child. Even I have a daughter. I am here to do my bit, so that another child does not become a victim to such crimes,” he said, as he cradled his four-year-old daughter, Alisha.
