A pro-Khalistan protest outside the Indian High Commission in London was relatively subdued and passed off without incident on Saturday. The demonstration, which took place between 12:30 PM and 2:30 PM GMT, lasted less time than planned. In stark contrast to the larger protests held at the same location earlier this year, only a small number of people braved the rain to attend the protest.
The protest was part of a series of protests held in cities around the world, including Melbourne, San Francisco, and Toronto, to condemn the June 18 killing of Khalistani activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia. Nijjar was wanted on terrorism charges in India.
According to a report by The Hindu, the protesters in London held banners depicting India's High Commissioner to the UK and its Consul General in Birmingham, accusing them of being responsible for Nijjar's death. Similar posters depicting the heads of various Indian missions around the world have recently circulated on social media platforms.
Among the protesters on Saturday, in addition to pro-Khalistan banners, there were also posters expressing support for Pakistan and Kashmir, according to the report. The presence of these posters emphasised the larger geopolitical dynamics at work in the protest.
The police were on the scene to maintain public order and safety, and the demonstrators eventually dispersed without incident, the report said. This low turnout and peaceful resolution marked a departure from the more fervent protests seen at previous Khalistan-related gatherings, it added.
On Thursday, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly tweeted that he had given assurances about the safety of the High Commission and its staff. A lack of adequate security has been a source of friction in the India-UK relationship, particularly since the national flag from the High Commission building was removed during a protest in March of this year.
India called for strict action, including deportation, against those threatening Indian officials on Friday. This was conveyed during bilateral discussions on Friday in New Delhi between National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and his British counterpart Tim Barrow.