Pakistan backers vandalise Indian High Commission in UK
04 Sep 2019
Pakistani supporters staged violent protests outside the Indian High Commission building in London, hurling eggs, tomatoes and bottles at the building and causing damage to the premises as breaking a windowpane of the building.
This is the second attack on Indians in London after violent protests were held outside the Indian High Commission in London on 15 August, in which the crowd targeted the Indian diaspora celebrating Independence Day.
In a tweet, the Indian High Commission confirmed that the protests by Pakistani supporters had caused damage to the premises as a windowpane of the building was broken.
The Indian High Commission, on its official Twitter account 'India in UK', shared a picture of a damaged windowpane of the building. "Another violent protest outside the Indian High Commission in London today, 3 September 2019. Damage caused to the premises."
Responding to the tweet, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said that the attack was "unacceptable". He said, "I utterly condemn this unacceptable behaviour and have raised the incident with Metro Police UK to take action.
Meanwhile, two people have been arrested in connection with the vandalisation of the Indian High Commission building in London.
Reports said, a group of protesters organised the 'Kashmir Freedom March' from Parliament Square to the High Commission building. The protest was led by a few UK Labour MPs as well. The Pakistani supporters in the protest carried flags of the Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and raised slogans such as "Stop shelling in Kashmir" and "We want freedom".
The protesters said that they had gathered to protest against the communication blockade in the Kashmir Valley for the last 30 days since the abrogation of Article 370 that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
With no people to target, the protestors allegedly hurled eggs, tomatoes, shoes, stoned, smoke bombs and bottles at the Indian High Commission building. During the melee, a windowpane was also broken.
Following the August 15 incident, PM Narendra Modi had raised the issue with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a telephonic conversation.
The British PM had assured PM Modi that all necessary precautions would be taken by the authorities to ensure the safety of the personnel and visitors at the Indian High Commission in London.