At least 53 people have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the violence and vandalism during a protest here on Wednesday that saw the removal and tearing down of English signboards from commercial outlets with a demand to give prominence to Kannada language, the police said on Thursday.

Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayanand on Thursday said that 10 FIRs had been registered, and 53 people, including the president of a group ‘Karnataka Rakshana Vedike’, T.A. Narayana Gowda, were arrested.

“There is a provision for peaceful protest. But one cannot indulge in disturbing the law and order,” he said.

Meanwhile, Praveen Kumar Shetty, President of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (Shetty faction) said that the state government should release the arrested Kannada activists unconditionally, otherwise “it would face consequences”.

“Have Kannada activists indulged in looting? We will all come together to launch a struggle. The state government, instead of boosting the morale of the activists, is coming down heavily on them.

“We will not be bogged down. The government and officials have done nothing to implement the rule of giving prominence to Kannada languages. Kannada activists have not indulged in committing dacoity, robbery or murder. The chiefs of all Kannada outfits would be meeting tomorrow (Friday) to discuss a ‘strong response’,” he said.

“If the Kannada activists are not released, our workers would swarm every street in Bengaluru and protest,” he said.

(The story has been published via a syndicated feed with a modified headline.)