Tensions spill onto UK streets as diaspora communities face off amid rising Indo-Pak hostility
NEW DELHI: A standoff unfolded outside the Indian High Commission in London as Indian and Pakistani diaspora members staged rival demonstrations following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack that killed 25 Indians and one Nepalese citizen. Protesters from both sides waved flags and exchanged heated slogans across the road in a tense face-off reflecting the escalating diplomatic rift between India and Pakistan, reported timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
Diaspora demonstrations turn confrontational as India blames Pakistan for Pahalgam attack.
Indian community members said their gathering was to counter the Pakistani protest and to show solidarity with the victims of the Pahalgam attack.
“We are here peacefully to stand against terrorism. They are protesting, and we are responding with dignity,” said one Indian protester.
However, tensions flared as some Indian demonstrators alleged verbal abuse from the opposing side. “We are sitting peacefully, but the people in front of us are hurling abuses,” another protester said.
Heavy police presence keeps crowds apart as tensions escalate across diplomatic fronts
A strong Metropolitan Police presence was deployed, with officers forming a buffer between the two protest groups. The scene echoed a similar confrontation that had erupted a day earlier outside the Pakistan High Commission at Lowndes Square, where video footage captured a Pakistani official making provocative gestures from the mission’s balcony.
During Friday’s clash, one person was arrested by UK authorities on charges of racial abuse, underscoring the charged atmosphere surrounding the protests.
Back in South Asia, tensions between India and Pakistan continue to rise following the Pahalgam attack. India has accused Pakistan of orchestrating the terror strike, an allegation Islamabad denies. In response, India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, shut down its borders with Pakistan, and severed trade ties.