‘London protests led by separatists’
THE British high commission in India said on Monday (7) it was in touch with the Metropolitan Police in London and India House after a protest in support of striking farmers was held in front of the Indian High Commission in Aldwych, central London.
Thousands of protesters from across the UK held a demonstration outside the Indian High Commission last Sunday (6) as a show of support for farmers agitating against the new farm laws in India. “Policing of protests is a matter for the Metropolitan Police. We remained in close contact with both the Indian High Commission in London and the Metropolitan Police Service about the protest,” a British high commission spokesperson said.
Several police officers in face masks descended upon Aldwych to police the “We stand with farmers of Punjab” demonstration, having warned that strict regulations remain in place to prevent the spread of coronavirus and so demonstrations of larger than 30 risk arrests and fines.
A spokesperson for the Indian High Commission said, “We have been coordinating closely with the authorities concerned and we will, together with them, address the issues that have come up – for example how this gathering of thousands could take place without specific permission.
“It soon became clear that the gathering was led by antiIndia separatists,” he said.
The demonstration came after a group of 36 UK MPs, led by Labour’s Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi wrote to UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab describing the impact of the India protests on British Punjabis.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has said while it is yet to receive the letter, the matter is an internal issue for India.