On Monday, Chhavi (name changed), 20, stopped outside a Delhi metro station on his way to what would become one of the largest anti-government demonstrations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government in the Indian capital in recent years.

She balanced her phone against a railing, stepped back and filmed a quick “fit check” — a video showing her outfit before the protest.

“The police are going to beat you guys,” he smiled at the camera.

Hours later, police fired tear gas and attacked protesters with batons as tens of thousands of supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a youth-led movement that grew out of protests over exam irregularities and grew into a broader campaign to demand government accountability, marched toward parliament.

They demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over exam leaks and recruitment scandals. Pradhan has refused to resign, accusing the opposition of exploiting students for political gain.

Authorities suspended mobile Internet access around the protest site. In the evening, protesters said police had beaten dozens of people, while police said several officers had also been injured.

When Chhavi finally uploaded the videos that night, one thing stood out. Before the march, she joked about being beaten by police. Hours later, he was still smiling: posing alongside riot officers, flashing victory signs, filming in the crowd and even interviewing an injured protester.

The clips were among thousands of reels, memes and first-person dispatches that flooded Instagram once protesters regained Internet access. Some were raw with anger. Others were breathless, scared or silently defiant. However, it was often the sardonic humor that caught the eye.