The march taken out by Khalistani supporters in Canada on Saturday was countered by pro-India demonstrators who unitedly rallied against the protestors.
The supporters of the extremists' group, backed by the secessionist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), were met by the members of the Indian community who held banners stating, "Khalistani are no sikh", "Khalistan murdabad" and "Bharat Mata ki jai."
Though the demonstrations were largely peaceful, there were attempts by some pro-Khalistan group members to breach the barricades put up by Toronto police to separate the two groups. One person was apprehended by the police but released later without charges.
The Khalistani groups had announced rallies in the UK, US, Canada and Australia to protest the killing of SFJ leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The SFJ leader was shot dead in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18.
According to pro-India demonstrators, they were there to express solidarity with India and Canada. "We are standing here in front of the Consulate to face the Khalistanis. We are trying to stop Khalistanis nonsense here and we are here for the solidarity of India and Canada, altogether. They are giving wrong information saying that they will kill our diplomats which is... and we are totally against that," Sunil Arora, one of the Indian diaspora in Canada, told ANI.
Another Indian said that they are there to support the Indian consulate.
#WATCH | Pro-Khalistan supporters protested in front of the Indian consulate in Canada's Toronto on July 8
— ANI (@ANI) July 9, 2023
Members of the Indian community with national flags countered the Khalistani protesters outside the Indian consulate in Toronto pic.twitter.com/IF5LUisVME
The Khalistani supporters had released posters threatening the Indian consulate staff, alleging their role in the death of Nijjar.
Meanwhile, the Khalistani rally in London ended up a low-key affair with only a small group of protesters turned up outside the Indian High Commission in London.
The protestors were seen using controversial posters inciting violence with images of the Indian High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami and Dr Shashank Vikram, Consul General of India in Birmingham.
The London Metropolitan Police has put up a strong posse of police to ensure peace throughout the protest, which wrapped sooner than expected.
Earlier this week, the UK government declared that any direct attacks on the High Commission of India in London are unacceptable amid the anti-India attacks and posters by Khalistani extremists emerging on social media channels. "Any direct attacks on the Indian High Commission in London are completely unacceptable," said Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom James Cleverly. We have made clear to Vikram Doraiswami and the Government of India that the safety of staff at the High Commission is paramount, he said.
