Indian police cracked down on 'cockroach' protesters. They went home and made memes about it

What the report says

BBC World News reports that young supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party, or CJP, responded to a police crackdown at a major anti-government demonstration in Delhi by turning videos, memes and reels into a record of the day. The protest, held Monday as demonstrators marched toward parliament, called for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to step down over exam paper leaks and recruitment scandals. Pradhan has rejected resignation calls and accused opponents of using students for politics.

According to the BBC, police used tear gas and batons against the crowd, while authorities suspended mobile internet around the protest area. Protesters said many people were beaten, and police said officers were also hurt. Once online access returned, Instagram filled with first-person clips: outfit checks filmed before the march, videos from amid tear gas, jokes about running from baton charges, and satirical comments about police violence.

The BBC’s interviews with young protesters suggest many saw filming as part of taking part in the protest, not separate from it. Some said humour helped them process fear rather than deny it. The article cited researchers who study technology, society and digital culture, who said younger protesters often experience politics alongside ordinary online habits such as memes, daily videos and social sharing.

The report places the CJP protests in a longer history of Indian movements using distinctive forms of expression, from songs and speeches to posters, murals, livestreams and street theatre. In this case, the BBC says the online humour became a way for protesters to document violence, build solidarity and prevent fear from defining the public memory of the march.