ISLAMABAD: Police said on Tuesday a case for “rioting and abusive behavior” had been filed after around a dozen people attacked a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant with sticks, abusing staff and customers while referring to the war in Gaza.

Last week, KFC and Domino’s Pizza outlets were attacked in the cities of Karachi and Lahore also, causing some damage but no injuries, with police describing the assaults as being motivated by anger over Israel’s war in Gaza.

Boycott campaigns have hit Western brands in many Muslim countries since the start of the war in October 2023, spearheaded by the BDS Movement, a global, Palestinian-led campaign advocating for non-violent pressure on Israel to respect Palestinian rights under international law. The movement calls for the boycott of certain companies and organizations that it says have invested in Israel or donate to its military and are directly profiting from its economy.

While not officially on the BDS boycott list, KFC has faced backlash from pro-Palestinian advocates in many countries who believe the brand’s operations in Israel contribute to the conflict, but the company maintains it is non-political and denies supporting the Israeli military or government. 

“A case of rioting and abusive behavior at a branch of a fast-food chain in the Cantt area has been registered,” Rawalpindi police said in a statement. 

“The case was filed under the complaint of the branch manager at the Cantt police station. The involved suspects have been identified after the case was registered.”

The statement said 10-12 individuals armed with sticks entered the branch and started using abusive language toward staff members and customers.

In videos of the episode widely shared on social media, the ransackers can be heard referring to the killings of “innocent women and children” in Gaza as they beat the main counter of the fast-food chain as well as chairs and tables with sticks and shout at people to leave. 

“The suspects will be arrested and brought to justice. Police personnel have been deployed at branches of international food chains,” the police statement added.

“Lawlessness, rioting, and misconduct with citizens will not be tolerated under any circumstances. A clear message has been sent that anyone violating the law and engaging in rioting will be dealt with firmly.”

The previous attacks in Karachi and Lahore were widely blamed on the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) religious-political party, known to lead violent protests in the country, most prominently in support of blasphemy laws and to call on the government to cut diplomatic ties with Western nations where Qur’an desecrations have taken place and caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) made.

However, TLP spokesperson Rehan Mohsin Khan distanced the party from the attacks and told Arab News last week that while TLP’s stance on the Palestine issue was “clear,” violent protests were “not part of our policy.”

“If one or two members of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan were present among the protesters out of their love for Gaza, it does not mean that it was the policy of the party or we support violence,” he said.

“We are in favor of peaceful protests, and we are trying to pressure the Pakistani government to officially boycott all these products.”