Members of the Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky-led Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), popularly known as Shiites, yesterday, clashed with men of the Nigeria Police when they staged a pro-Palestine protest in Kaduna.
According to reports, the IMN members, who came out to declare their unalloyed support for the oppressed people of Palestine, started their protest from the premises of the Kaduna State council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), marched through Muhammadu Buhari Way to the office of the National Human Rights Commission to submit their protest letter.
It was gathered that minutes after the protest commenced, men of the Nigeria Police engaged the protesters, firing teargas and shooting into the air to disperse them.
The Kaduna State Police Command, however, said that members of the IMN started firing at the policemen who were drafted to disperse the illegal protest, and in the process, the protesters killed a civilian, identified as Aliyu.
But, members of the Shiites alleged that the Police killed two of their men during the clash.
Speaking during the protest, the leader of the protesters, Aliyu Umar Tirmizi said: The Israeli occupiers have for the past 75 years been unleashing genocide, ethnic cleansing and apartheid on the unarmed civilians that include men, women and children.
They have murdered thousands of children and the aged; and have demolished houses and worship places of innocent civilians. The Zionist Israel has abused the sanctity of the holy Mosque of Al-Aqsa and terrorised innocent worshipers who visit the place.
In recent times, the Zionist Israel has increased its atrocities on the good people of Palestine where they have been using internationally banned weapons on innocent civilians and even attacked hospitals killing innocent people. These atrocities are committed with full knowledge of the so-called United Nations, who have remained silent and subservient to the wicked plots of the Zionist regime.
The protesters carried placards and white clothes wrapped like dead babies with blood stains, symbolising the children killed in the Israel/Palestine war. They were chanting: Death to Israel! We support Palestine!
