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Arrests And Assaults In India Over Its National Anthem

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Indian moviegoers stand up as national anthem is played at a movie hall before the screening of a movie in Jammu, India, Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2016. A ruling by India's Supreme Court in November said that the anthem must be played before every film screening in the country and that audiences must stand. The court said the rule was aimed at instilling a sense of patriotism. (Channi Anand/AP)
Indian moviegoers stand up as national anthem is played at a movie hall before the screening of a movie in Jammu, India, Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2016. A ruling by India's Supreme Court in November said that the anthem must be played before every film screening in the country and that audiences must stand. The court said the rule was aimed at instilling a sense of patriotism. (Channi Anand/AP)

At an international film festival in Kerala, 12 people were arrested because they remained seated during the playing of India’s national anthem.

In Chennai, eight people were assaulted and abused for not standing during the anthem. They were later arrested and charged with disrespecting India’s national anthem.

In the U.S., some athletes are kneeling when the Star Spangled Banner is played — as a means of protest.

Here & Now’s Robin Young speaks with Alex Marshall (@alexmarshall81), author of "Republic or Death!:Travels in Search of National Anthems," about the role of national anthems and why some countries take them more seriously than others.

This segment aired on December 26, 2016.

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