Indian high commission lodges complaint with UK foreign office over protests

LONDON: The Indian high commission lodged a formal complaint on Thursday with the UK foreign office over its London mission building being trashed by 10,000 anti-India protestors.


About 10,000

Kashmiris

,

British Pakistanis

and pro-Khalistan Sikhs smashed windows and pelted stones, eggs and bottles at the building on Tuesday, damaging the exterior when protesting about the stripping of

Jammu and Kashmir's special status

.

Protesters were allowed to gather in large numbers just a few feet away from the front door of the building.

Indian high commissioner Ruchi Ghanashyam met foreign office director-general (political) Richard Moore on Wednesday to put across India's "concerns".

Commenting on the meeting, a diplomat at the high commission told TOI: "The foreign office were not happy about the situation. If and when these protests happen again, they are saying they will take stricter measures and make security arrangements better. We will have to see if this happens again and only then can we judge if they have taken stricter measures."

"We have been saying for years they should not protest in front of our building but we are always told that would not be possible because of freedom of expression. I can't say if we are satisfied with this but we put our concerns across in the most direct way possible," the diplomat said.

"This is sensitive issue as we are talking about the security of the mission building. You never know if the situation will escalate and what they might do next time. It was quite intimidating throughout the day for the staff. The services of the HCI could not function at all because of lack of movement."

The Indian high commission's official Twitter handle tweeted after the meeting: "The DG said physical damage to High Commission property was completely unacceptable. He added that the safety and security of all diplomatic missions and their staff are of upmost concern to UK."

The September 3 protests were the second time the mission building had been attacked in less than a month. Yet not a single person has been charged with any criminal offence. From the four arrests made at the first round of protests on August 15, two males have been released with no further action. The others have been released under police investigation.

From the September 3 protests two people were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and have been bailed, the Met police said.

On Thursday 23 Indian-origin local councillors wrote to London mayor

Sadiq Khan

, UK home secretary

Priti Patel

and foreign secretary Dominic Raab asking what firm action was being taken against the organisers, whether the Pakistan politicians who spoke at the protests had authorisation to do so, why there was inadequate provision made by the police, and what measures are being taken to tackle rising India-phobic rhetoric in Britain.

MP Bob Blackman, chair of the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) for British Hindus, has written a letter to the home secretary about the August 15 protest, in which PIOs were pelted with objects, saying: "These separatist groups planned to deliberately harass, victimise and threaten peaceful people. This was completely unwarranted, notwithstanding the fact that the very alleged sentiments being condemned by the protesters against India, were being protested with violent and threatening speech and behaviour against the local British community."

The letter added: "Some protesters even carried weapons. How did the authorities allow this to happen? There can be no doubt that the British Hindu and non-resident Indian population are nonviolent, peaceful and law-abiding citizens. We ought to be doing all we can to protect this minority who contribute massively to the UK."

The Hindu Forum Britain has also written to Patel criticising the policing and calling for a meeting with her.

An FCO spokesperson said: "The protest outside the Indian high commission in London on Tuesday was largely peaceful and the police ensured a safe perimeter. Two arrests were made. We take security of the Indian high commission and all diplomatic missions extremely seriously and were in close contact with our colleagues at the high commission throughout the day to ensure their safety and ability to work."