ISLAMABAD, Sept 20: “Ghulami-e-Rasool May Maut Bhee Qabool He” [We are the slaves of Prophet (PBUH)] and are willing to embrace death for the sake of his love] shouted a local college student, as he led a charged group of students in the protest against the anti-Islam movie.

Over 1,000 students from local colleges were part of the crowds that descended on the capital’s red zone and battled with police and federal security establishment.

Dressed in white shirts and grey trousers, they carried sticks and stones in their hands, and some their schoolbags, as they streamed towards the highly-protected diplomatic enclave.

It did not appear they were guided by any political mentors or party. However, the sticks in their hands indicated that some one had had a hand in orchestrating their actions; the sticks must have been provided to the students because they were not make-shift ones but similar to those policemen carry.

Howsoever equipped, the students were high on emotion and not on knowledge and reason.

All they knew were that they there to attack the US Embassy and several western missions - the so called “enemies of Islam”.

“I am here to protest the blasphemous attitude of the western forces specially the United States since they are continually releasing content on the internet and blaspheming against our beloved Prophet (PBUH),” said Umar A Mansoor, a student of local commerce college.

Nasir Mehmood, a 12th grade student of H-8 degree college, said: “It’s a day to protest since all we know is that some one in the US has again opted for the evil path of blasphemy.”

Asked whether he had any knowledge of the content of the film which has provoked the protests he said that “some American has done some wrong against Islam and the Holy Prophet (PBUH).”

The students reached the enclave in the afternoon despite multiple blockades.

“Every thing should be closed down on the internet. We don’t need the internet or any such thing. We cannot live without this evil nonsense,” said Rafiullah Khan, a young man who studies at a local religious school.

When asked why he came to the Red Zone to join the protest, Khan said that he was asked by his teacher to protest.

A number of other students also referred to their teachers.

One protesting college student, who had covered his face with a handkerchief and was not willing to share his name, said: “We were asked by our teachers to protest and ensure that our voice is heard by every westerner sitting in the enclave. The global media should see that we are angry, annoyed and disturbed because of their freedom of free speech on religion.”

The protest which kicked in half way through the school day began shortly after noon on Faisal Avenue and was led by students of H-9, H-8, and H-8 (Commerce) colleges.

Faisal Avenueremained blocked for almost over an hour before they headed for the diplomatic enclave using Kashmir Highway route. But for many students it was clear that this ‘protest’ simply provided an opportunity to spread mayhem. A number of them described what they were doing as “fun”.

A college student of H-9 Degree College, said that the police was his target as “they hit us in routine”.

“We pelt stones on them and they fire tear gas at us,” he added, calling it “hide and seek”. He also explained that he did not fear arrest because “My uncle is a policeman. Also it’s [the protest] is for a good cause.”

It was not possible to find out if the students were instructed by teachers to attend this protest and whether or not this was an official policy rather than the urgings of a few teachers. A college professor, on the basis of anonymity, insisted: “We never asked any one to protest.” He added that the students were guided by their local student leaders.

Asked which political parties these students were from, he said: “Local religious political factors working for different parties such as the Pakistan Tehrik Insaaf and the Jamat-e-Islami.”

Others blamed the law enforcement personnel and said that controlling the protest was not the job of teachers.

Interestingly, a few Islamabad-universities such as National University of Modern Languages closed after half a day of work as they wanted their students to be home before the trouble began.