A United States Consulate-sponsored concert was cancelled at the Government College University Lahore on Thursday after pro-Palestinian supporters protested against the event.

The Progressive Students’ Collective, whose members participated in the protest, said that the demonstration was against the band ‘Raining Jane’ performing on campus whose visit was and is sponsored by the US Consulate.

Clips shared by the student organisation showed their members protested against Israel and the US as they barred band members and officials from entering the lobby.

The GCU literary society was holding an event of a music band from California consisting of female singers and musicians at Bukhari Auditorium of the campus at 2pm on Thursday. The administration directed all female faculty members and students to attend the function.

“The administration demands that the students apologise and give an undertaking on stamp paper within an hour, which has passed, however, the students stand firm on their stances,” said the protesters.

The organisation claimed that the student cards of the protesters have been confiscated, and they are now being threatened with strict action.

“Nevertheless, the Progressive Students’ Collective stands firm with the students on their stance!”

This is the same group that protested when the German ambassador took the podium to address his speech at the fifth Asma Jahangir conference.

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GCU Vice Chancellor Shazia Bashir told Aaj News that no disciplinary action was taken against any of the students as she refuted the protesters’ claim that they were being warned of strict action.

She clarified that the students had expressed their desire to organise a rally that was accepted by the university administration.

No pressure or coercion was exerted on the students regarding their decision to hold the rally, the vice chancellor said.

At least 34,596 Palestinians have been killed and 77,816 injured in Israel’s military offensive on Gaza since Oct 7, the health ministry has said in a statement, Reuters reported.

The tally includes at least 28 deaths in the past 24 hours, the statement added.

Such protests have also been seen in the US, Canada, Australia, and Mexico.