Muzaffarabad: More than 50 men have been arrested in Pakistan after a crowd chanting anti-Israel slogans picketed and set fire to a restaurant belonging to American fast food chain KFC, police said Saturday.The incident took place on Friday evening in the northeastern town of Mirpur, in the Pakistan-administered region of Kashmir, after protesters gathered on the town’s main thoroughfare after Ramadan evening prayers.Videos circulating on social media show men chanting anti-Israel slogans, carrying a banner inscribed with “Free Palestine”.Nearly 400 protesters gathered at the height of the demonstration and clashes broke out with the police, Mirpur police chief Kamran Mughal told AFP.”We had told them that they can only protest in a certain area. But, when their numbers started growing, they made their way over to KFC,” said police superintendent Mughal.Other videos from inside the restaurant show smashed windows, broken furniture and damaged equipment.The crowd set fire to the building, but it did not completely burn down.Nine police officers were injured by stones thrown by the demonstrators and more than 50 men were arrested, said Mughal.Restaurant owner Chaudhary Saeed told AFP that a week ago he had sent the administration a video showing a group of around 10 mostly young men planning the attack.
Source link
