Dozens of protesters arrested for burning KFC outlet in AJK’s Mirpur: report

Over 50 individuals have been detained by police following a protest where demonstrators, chanting anti-Israel slogans, gathered and set fire to a KFC restaurant owned by an American fast-food chain in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, AFP reported.

The incident occurred on Friday evening in Mirpur, a town in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, following evening prayers during Ramazan.

Videos circulating on social media depict men chanting slogans against Israel while carrying a banner advocating for "Free Palestine."

The protest escalated, with nearly 400 individuals participating at its peak, leading to clashes with law enforcement, according to Mirpur's police chief Kamran Mughal.

Despite instructions to confine their protest to a designated area, the demonstrators moved towards the KFC outlet. Inside the restaurant, footage reveals vandalized windows, broken furniture, and damaged equipment. Although the building was set ablaze, it did not sustain complete destruction.

During the clashes, nine police officers suffered injuries from stones hurled by the demonstrators. Authorities arrested more than 50 individuals in connection with the unrest.