The protesters included Britons of Pakistani and Pakistan-administered Kashmir heritage, supporters of Khalistan - a secessionist movement of Sikhs demanding a separate homeland in India and some parliamentarians belonging to the UK Labour Party.
Another violent protest outside the Indian High Commission in London today, 3 September 2019. Damage caused to the premises. @foreignoffice @UKinIndia @MEAIndia @DominicRaab @DrSJaishankar @PMOIndia @tariqahmadbt pic.twitter.com/2sv0Qt1xy8
— India in the UK (@HCI_London) September 3, 2019
They smashed the windowpanes of the building and caused chaos on streets. Police had erected barricades to prevent the group from reaching the mission building in Aldwych.
“You can try and silence a Parliament but you cannot try and silence a people. We will continue to protest on the streets of our cities and at the UN until we have delivered justice to the people of Kashmir", said British Labour MP Liam Byrne, who was at the head of the march.
Byrne is campaigning to “seek restoration of Kashmir’s special status, to ensure demilitarisation, restoration of communication and to immediately allow full access to human rights observers” in Kashmir. He has already launched a petition, which he plans to forward to the UK House of Commons to take it up with the Indian government via the Commonwealth and United Nations.
Sadiq Khan, London's mayor who is of Pakistani origin, condemned the incident and said it is unacceptable.
I utterly condemn this unacceptable behaviour and have raised this incident with @metpoliceuk to take action.
— Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) September 3, 2019
Many Indian-origin citizens have condemned the incident and asked the mayor and British police to take exemplary action against the protesters.
It is unfortunate that London allows hooligans to use violence as a way to protest. This is the second time since 5th August that HCI has been targeted. How many more such attacks would it take for London’s Mayor and UK Police to wake up? This is unacceptable @MayorofLondon https://t.co/HZTWaYfC5a
— Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) September 4, 2019
Unless serious measures are taken, none of us is safe in this country. I do not wish to go thru what we went through in 1990 in Kashmir again. This is terrorism and NOT acceptable. Our @HCI_London is unsafe, so r we. @metpoliceuk @10DowningStreet @UKHomeSecretary @patel4witham https://t.co/Z7Mu7638TY
— Lakshmi Kaul (@KaulLakshmi) September 3, 2019
Earlier, during Indian Independence Day celebrations on 15 August, anti-India protesters carrying Kashmiri and Khalistani flags tried to disrupt the celebrations.
