Kochi: A wave of criticism has erupted after Kerala police filed cases against priests and activists who staged a peaceful protest seeking protection for the coastal communities between Chellanam and Fort Kochi. The protest, led by members of the Latin Catholic Church and community representatives, was held at the Thoppumpady BOT junction and included a hunger strike and rally calling for the construction of a complete tetrapod sea wall to curb devastating sea erosion.
The Thoppumpady Police registered a case against ten individuals, including Catholic priests and Latin Catholic spokesperson Joseph Jude, citing allegations of public obstruction and traffic disruption. The FIR claims that the organizers deliberately gathered crowds intending to block roads and did not heed police instructions to disperse.
However, eyewitnesses and protest organizers argue that the demonstration was peaceful, with participants sitting quietly in protest tents from morning to evening. According to them, the case was unjustly filed for merely leading a procession and exercising their democratic right to protest.
The protest was organized under the banner of Care Chellanam Kochi, a collective formed to raise awareness about the escalating coastal erosion and the state’s inaction. The core demand of the protesters is the urgent completion of the tetrapod sea wall, of which only 7.3 kilometers have been built out of the promised 17 kilometers. Activists allege that the remaining portion has been indefinitely delayed, leaving vast stretches of the coast and its residents vulnerable to high tides and flooding.
In response to the police action, the Kerala Latin Catholic Association (KLCA) issued a strong statement condemning the move. The KLCA accused the authorities of attempting to suppress a legitimate public outcry through intimidation tactics. They stressed that the protest emerged only because the government failed to act in time to protect the lives and homes of coastal dwellers.
KLCA State President Sherry J. Thomas and General Secretary Biju Josey called the FIR a "fabricated" case meant to silence the Church and community voices advocating for the marginalized. “No one should think that filing false cases will stifle the will of a people fighting for survival,” they said. The association demanded an immediate withdrawal of the charges and a public apology from those responsible.
The situation has intensified tensions between the Latin Catholic community and local authorities, drawing attention to both the environmental crisis unfolding on Kerala’s coast and the rights of citizens to protest without fear of persecution.
The development also raises wider questions about the state’s commitment to both coastal protection and democratic expression, especially when peaceful protestors are treated as offenders instead of partners in safeguarding vulnerable communities.