Police break up Free Software protest
By Bala Shah

On the week end of Nov 15 and 16th, the Cusat Campus at Kochi, Kerala hosted the National Conference on Free Software.  A number of distinguished, well known public figures were associated with the conference.  Sri M. A. Baby inaugurated the conference.  The Chief Patron was Former Supreme Court Judge Justice. V R Krishnaiyer.  Other Patrons included the Vice Chancellor and members of Parliament.

Contrary to some media reports, the conference was not organized by the ruling communist party in Kerala.  The organizers were the Cochin University of Science & Technology, IT@SCHOOL Project, Govt. of Kerala, Appropriate Technology Promotion Society, Ernakulam and Open Software Solutions Industrial Co-operative Society Ltd. Kochi

The Media partner of this conference was the powerful EFY Group.

Novell was one of the sponsors of this National Conference on Free Software.

The Free Software Movement is very popular in Kerala and its hard working volunteers have strong grass roots support.  A few activists from this Free Software Movement were unhappy with Novell being the sponsor of such an event and decided to protest against the American company. They went and put up anti-Novell posters in stalls used by other groups.  The organizers called in the Kerala police and things got nasty on Sunday, Nov 16th.   The protestors were ejected and photos of the clashes were deleted from confiscated mobiles.

Arky, a technologist, hacktivist, artist, Red Hat Certified Engineer and respected figure of the movement gives a blow by blow account of what happened.  You can also see pictures of the police protestor clash in his blog.