Will Ignore High Court's Order, Burn Police Station If Protesters Are Arrested- Viral Speech Of Pastor In Vizhinjam Port Protest

A video has emerged of a Christian Pastor addressing the protesters who are protesting against the Vizhinjam International Seaport being constructed by the Adani Group in the Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala.

The Pastor is heard saying that police have arrested six protesters and if one more protester is arrested, they would surround that police station. "When two Pastors were unnecessarily manhandled, our youth had protested before all Police Stations in Thiruvananthapuram", the Pastor says.

"If any one of us is arrested for any reason, we will change our methods. Then we won't respect the court's orders. Then the protest will be outside Police Station and if necessary we will burn the Police Station. I say this because there is a history of burning Police Station", the Pastor is seen saying in the viral video.

The protest against the construction of the largest Deep Sea Port in the country under the aegis of the Catholic Archdiocese of Trivandrum has entered its 24th day.

The Adani Vizhinjam Port Pvt. Ltd. and two of its officers had approached the Kerala High Court seeking police protection for continuing construction of the Vizhinjam International Seaport Project and from "obstruction and threat" caused by some Latin Catholic Priests and their supporters.

The High Court had passed an interim order directing the State to provide police protection to employees and staff of Adani Vizhinjam Port for continuing the construction.

"I have no doubt in my mind that the right to agitate or protest against any matter including the apathy or neglect of the Government cannot confer any right either on respondents 11 to 25 or any of the protesters to contend that they have a right to obstruct the activities which have due permissions or to trespass into the project site and cause damage to public property", the Bench of Justice Anu Shivaram had said in the interim order.

The Bench had also directed the State Police to seek appropriate assistance from the Central Government if it is unable to maintain law and order.