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Boos to blooms: Journo receives apology, roses after student-led protest ends
Among the several journalists who were earlier humiliated during the student-led agitation at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park, Kapil Raut received an apology and applause from protesters on Sunday. Several social media users hailed the moment calling it: ‘Respect regained’.
After the student-led protest concluded on July 25, post the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the scenes at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park looked straight out from a film. The journalist, Kapil Raut who was earlier humiliated and jeered at, during the agitation by protesters received a public apology on Sunday.
Some viral videos even showed young demonstrators expressing regret, admitting it was wrong on their part to heckle the journalist. One protester wearing a cockroach mask was also seen shaking hands with this reporter while some other protesters hugged him while apologising. One protester said, “We were really impressed with the patience you showed at that time,” and some students said that they had become “fans” of him after that incident.
The reporter accepted their apology and ended things on a peaceful note. Raut said: “It was nothing. They were protesting. Nobody misbehaved. Everyone is fine.”
Mixed opinions
When the incident involving the journalist took place on 20 July 2026, there was an outpour of reactions on social media about it. While some supporting the student protesters felt it was right and justified on their part to misbehave with a journalist from mainstream media, others strongly criticised such harassment labelling it as outright despicable and unfair as the journalist “was just doing his job”.
Social media reactions
Now, reacting to the fresh videos of apology, one social media user has written: “Apologies matter — glad to see students step forward,” while another has commented: “Respect regained — from trolling to apologies.”
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