Will ensure heightened security at Indian mission: UK Secy Cleverly

LONDON: The UK will review the security at the Indian High Commission here following “unacceptable” acts of violence by pro-Khalistan protesters, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has said, asserting that the government takes these matters “very seriously” and would “robustly” respond to such incidents.

Around 2,000 protesters waving Khalistan flags descended upon the Indian mission here on Wednesday for a planned demonstration and hurled objects and chanted slogans amid a heightened security presence and barricades.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Foreign Secretary Cleverly said the British government takes such matters very seriously and would “robustly” respond to the attack as it works with the Metropolitan Police to make changes needed to ensure the security of the mission’s staff.

As a sign of the action already taken, the minister cited the heightened security measures in place at India House for a planned demonstration on Wednesday, which included several police officers standing guard outside the building, as well as many mounted officers on horseback patrolling the area along with helicopter surveillance. “Acts of violence towards staff at the Indian High Commission in London are unacceptable and I have made our position clear to the High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami,” Cleverly said.

He said the police investigation is ongoing and the government is in close contact with the Indian High Commission in London and the Indian government in New Delhi.

“We are working with the Metropolitan Police to review security at the Indian High Commission, and will make the changes needed to ensure the safety of its staff as we did for today’s demonstration,” he said. “We will always take the security of the High Commission, and all foreign missions in the UK, extremely seriously, and prevent and robustly respond to incidents such as this,” he noted.