Protesting farmers storm India's Red Fort
Tens of thousands of protesting farmers have marched, rode horses and drove long lines of tractors into India’s capital, breaking through police barricades to storm the historic Red Fort.
It was a deeply symbolic act that revealed the scale of their challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. They waved farm union and religious flags from the ramparts of the fort, where prime ministers annually hoist the national flag on the country’s August independence day holiday.
Riot police fired tear gas and water cannons and set up barricades in attempt to hold back the protesters Tuesday. The farmers have been demanding the withdrawal of new laws that they say will favor large corporate farms and devastate the earnings of smaller scale farmers.
A protesting farmer hurls back a tear gas shell towards police as they march to the capital breaking police barricades during India's Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
Protesting farmers cover their faces to escape tear gas smoke as they march to the capital breaking police barricades during India's Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
Sikhs hoist a Nishan Sahib, a Sikh religious flag, on a minaret of the historic Red Fort monument in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Dinesh Joshi)
An Indian policeman fires tear gas shells towards protesting farmer as they march to the capital breaking police barricades during India's Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
A protesting farmer waves an Indian flag and a farmer union flag as he marches with others to the capital breaking police barricades during India's Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
Indian police chase protesting farmers away as they march to the capital breaking police barricades during India's Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
Protesting farmers remove police barricades as they march to the capital during India's Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
An elderly protesting farmer looks through a hole in a tarpaulin covering the tractor trolley as they march to the capital during India's Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
A Sikh man hangs on to a pole holding a Sikh religious flag along with a farm union flag at the historic Red Fort monument in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Supreet Sapkal)
A protesting farmer, wearing orange turban, is let go by riot police as they march to the capital breaking police barricades during India's Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
Protesting farmers remove police barricades as they march to the capital during India's Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
Sikhs wave the Nishan Sahib, a Sikh religious flag, as they arrive at the historic Red Fort monument in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. Tens of thousands of protesting farmers drove long lines of tractors into India's capital on Tuesday, breaking through police barricades, defying tear gas and storming the historic Red Fort as the nation celebrated Republic Day. (AP Photo/Dinesh Joshi)
Protesting farmers move towards the historic Red Fort after breaking police barricades during India's Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
A protesting farmer pleads in front of a police officer to let them pass through a barricade at at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh state border, India, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
Indian policemen beat farmers driving a tractor after protesting farmers and policemen clash during India's Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
People watchIndian paramilitary Sasastra Seema Bal personnel march during India's Republic Day celebration in Gauhati, India, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, red cap, waves as he returns after India's Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Jan.26, 2021. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
Battle tanks move through the ceremonial Rajpath boulevard during India's Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. Republic Day marks the anniversary of the adoption of the country's constitution on Jan. 26, 1950. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)