Demonstrations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the UK took a violent turn and an Indian flag was torn down from one of the official flagpoles set up for the 53-nation Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting on Wednesday.
PM Modi, who is in the UK for bilateral talks and the Commonwealth meet, was greeted by protesters as he met his British counterpart Theresa May.
A senior journalist from an Indian news channel covering the protests was caught in the violent scrum sparked by aggressive pro-Khalistani protesters and Scotland Yard officers on duty had to step in to the rescue.
"We have expressed our concerns with the British authorities and they have apologised for the incident. We have been warning against some of these elements out to make trouble and they have assured us of action. The Indian flag has now been replaced," a senior Indian official associated with the PM's visit told.
Indian flag torn down in London Parliament Square by #Sikhs & replaced with Khalistani flag.
— Gurmeet Kaur (@Gurmeetk2020) April 19, 2018
Indian flag was the only flag missing in the square today. #KhalistanZindabad #FreeKhalistan #GoBackModi #GoBackCulpritModi #ModiNotWelcome #IndianBeastInUK pic.twitter.com/fOph8eaJJf
The pro-Khalistani demonstrators from Sikh Federation UK and demonstrators from the so-called "Minorities Against Modi" group, led by Pakistani-origin peer Lord Ahmed, were among nearly 500 protesters who descended upon London's Parliament Square.
These included groups led by some Kashmiri separatist groups and at one point, some of them had surrounded the Mahatma Gandhi statue at the square with their banners and flags.
देखिए कैसे प्रधानमंत्री @narendramodi के लंदन दौरे के दौरान पार्लियामेंट स्क्वायर पर खालिस्तान और पाकिस्तान समर्थकों ने तिरंगे का अपमान किया और सवाल पूछे जाने पर आजतक की पत्रकार @loveenatandon के साथ बदसलूकी की. #ReporterDiary pic.twitter.com/FhLT88ebs7
— आज तक (@aajtak) April 19, 2018
Officials involved with the prime ministerial visit to the UK had said that protests and demonstrations are "part and parcel of any democratic society" as long as they remain peaceful. There are now concerns that some of the more aggressive elements hijacked the tone of the protests.
Earlier on Wednesday, flash mob of sari-clad women with dhols set the tone for the pro-PM Modi crowds opposite 10 Downing Street as he arrived for his breakfast meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May.
They were joined by the Friends of India Society International (FISI) group, which spearheaded a crowd of Indian diaspora from across the UK waving banners such as Chak De India and Jai Hind outside Downing Street and nearby Parliament Square.
#Indianflag pulled, torn n cut into pieces. When I question the perpetrators they intimate. @sardesairajdeep @HCI_London @narendramodi pic.twitter.com/1h3OG0XRwl
— loveena tandon (@loveenatandon) April 18, 2018
MEA spokesperson said that they r deeply anguished by the incident of disrespecting the #Indianflag at parliament square n they have taken it with the UK Govt n expect legal action 4m them.
— loveena tandon (@loveenatandon) April 19, 2018
Thank u so much @pervaizalam n another gentleman 4 coming 2 my rescue even b4 the police @ #parliament sq 4m people who pullled #Indianflag pic.twitter.com/FhaZKc8lU3
— loveena tandon (@loveenatandon) April 18, 2018
"We want to welcome the Indian PM to the UK and show him the diaspora support he enjoys," said one of the members of the gathering.
On the other side, the anti-Modi protesters from Caste Watch UK and South Asia Solidarity group waved banners against the Prime Minister.
"Hindu nationalism must be curtailed to avert India sliding towards wholesale dictatorship threatening democratic fabric, rule of law and the unity of India," a Caste Watch UK spokesperson said.
They were joined by other protesters carrying images the 8-year-old rape victim from Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir, and Gauri Lankesh, the Indian journalist who was shot at her doorstep last year.
Sikh Protestors Burned Indian Flag #PunjaWantReferendum #ModiGoBack #ModiNotWelcome
— Sikhs For Justice (@sikhsforjustice) April 19, 2018
ਲੰਡਨ ਵਿਖੇ ਮੋਦੀ ਖਿਲਾਫ ਰੱਖੀ ਰੈਲੀ ਿਵੱਚ ਸਿੰਘਾਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਪਾਰਲੀਮੈਂਟ ਸੁਕੇਅਰ ਤੇ ਲੱਗੇ “#ਭਾਰਤੀ_ਝੰਡੇ” ਨੂੰ ਲਾਹ ਕੇ ਸਾੜ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਗਿਆ pic.twitter.com/F3lBprHSB1
The group also included representatives of several Indian women's groups in the UK, wearing white as part of their silent protest.
"I am Hindustan, I am ashamed," read their placards alongside banners such as 'Beti Bachao' and 'Politics minus rape'.
@loveenatandon @ani @DalKhalsaUK @CNNnews18 Callous Indian’s Crying Over Burnt Flag In London But no courage to seek justice for
— Gurpatwant S Pannun (@Pannun_SFJ) April 19, 2018
1984 hundreds of Sikh women raped; 2018 - 8yrs Asifa Raped & killed pic.twitter.com/tQJuh8Q34A
#ModiGoBack #modiprotest
— Punjab Spectrum (@PunjabSpectrum) April 18, 2018
#JusticeforAsifa #FreeJaggiNow #ModiNotWelcome #ModiInUK pic.twitter.com/ui0kru17qb
If this isn't viral worthy on Sikh twitter, i don't know what is pic.twitter.com/3YnNw3NBnA
— Jasveer Singh Gill (@JazzTheJourno) April 18, 2018
Sikhs & Kashmiris in unity tear down and burn the Indian Flag in Parliament Sq London at protest against Modi and Hindutva @sikhsforjustice @SikhPA @MurtazaGeoNews pic.twitter.com/YNmOP643Qu
— Dal Khalsa UK (@DalKhalsaUK) April 18, 2018
