A man has been arrested after some pro-Khalistani groups vandalised the Indian High Commission in London and detached the Indian flag from the first-floor balcony of the building.
Videos on social media showed a crowd waving yellow “Khalistan” banners and a man bringing down the Indian flag, the BBC reported.
Two security guards were injured in the violent protest and an investigation has been launched.
PA news agency said that crowd members were believed to be supporters of a Sikh separatist movement.
Officers were called to the Indian High Commission at about 13:50 GMT on Sunday.
Upon arrival “the majority of those present had dispersed prior to the arrival of police”, Metropolitan Police (Met) was quoted by the British broadcaster as saying.
The force’s spokesperson said “windows were broken” and two members of security staff sustained minor injuries which did not require hospital treatment.
Responding to the incident, London’s mayor Sadiq Khan said in a tweet: “I condemn the violent disorder and vandalism that took place at the Indian High Commission today (Sunday). There is no place in our city for this kind of behaviour.”
An investigation has been launched by the Met, he added.
Dear @MEAIndia Please get UK to identify these jokers. Cancel their passports if they are Indian citizens, cancel their OCI card or Indian visa if they are UK citizens. Put them on black list and make sure they don’t step on Indian soil ever. Indian state need not to be benign… https://t.co/vOPPPDshnJ
— Sunanda Vashisht (@sunandavashisht) March 19, 2023
In its response to this vandalism, Indian High Commission in UK has put up a giant tricolour on its facade.
The British High Commissioner to India Alex Ellis described the incident as “disgraceful” and “totally unacceptable”.
India lodges protest at High Commission vandalism
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) late on Sunday summoned the senior-most UK diplomat in India to convey its strong protest after some pro-Khalistani groups allegedly took down the Tricolour at the Indian High Commission in London.
MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted: “India lodges strong protest with UK”, along with a ministry statement.
Some pro-Khalistani groups staged a demonstration at the Indian High Commission in London over Punjab government’s crackdown against self-styled radical preacher Amritpal Singh.
The MEA, in a statement, said an explanation was demanded for the complete absence of the British security that allowed these elements to enter the High Commission premises.
“She was reminded in this regard of the basic obligations of the UK government under the Vienna Convention,” it said.
A statement said it finds unacceptable the indifference of the UK government to the security of Indian diplomatic premises and personnel in the UK.
“It is expected that the UK government would take immediate steps to identify, arrest and prosecute each one of those involved in today’s incident, and put in place stringent measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents,” it added.
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