Kashmir protest in London fails to breach India House barricades
LONDON: Barricades put up by British police all around the Indian High Commission building in London on Diwali kept Pakistani and Kashmiri protesters at bay during a "free-Kashmir" rally that was originally meant to be held there. The robust police operation ensured there was no trouble along the alternative rally route either.
While India House resembled a fortress with police guarding all entry points to it, vans, horses and ambulances were stationed down side streets and all along the route, suggesting letters from the British Indian community to the UK authorities in advance had paid off.
The protesters had arranged a digital van that said "83 days of Indian siege" and displayed news reports of alleged "atrocities" in Kashmir. On the other hand, several British Indians paid £1,500 for a digital van that projected Happy Diwali messages, including one which read "Stop bullets, be friends" and another that said 'Dear PoK and Pakistani friends, Happy Diwali" - all to the accompaniment of the song 'Dil-Wali Diwali' by Shankar Mahadevan.
Both vans went round and round Aldwych, but managed to avoid each other.
Far less protesters descended on London than during the August 15 and September 3 protests. Roughly 5,000 to 7,000 people turned up, mainly PoK-born UK citizens from Birmingham, whereas previous protests had seen a turnout of more than 25,000.
Those whom TOI spoke to said the protests had been coordinated by large mosques in Birmingham. "The mosques announced these protests, but it was the political groups that organised them," one protester said.
Outside India House at about 1.30pm TOI saw a small group of 20 protesters being confronted by a police officer. They were escorted to Parliament Street with their flags and placards held down.
Metropolitan police had in advance imposed pre-event conditions on the rally, banning protesters from assembling outside or marching towards India House and warning they would face arrest and prosecution if they defied the order.
Men, women and children gathered at Parliament Street and outside Downing Street with placards and PoK flags between 12pm and 3pm. The placards they carried read "Jammu and Kashmir belongs to its people", "Wake up United Nations" and "End Indian occupation of Kashmir." One group was holding "Free-Palestine" placards.
A handful of pro-Khalistan Sikhs carried "Khalistan" and blue "Referendum 2020" flags. The Union Jack and an Arabic flag were also seen. Footage of purported protests in Srinagar was shown on a digital screen.
Mirpur-born Muhammed Najeeb blamed home secretary Priti Patel for the route being changed to avoid India House. "It is because of her we could not protest outside the Indian embassy as she is favouring India," he said.
There were speeches by "politicians" such as "PoK information minister" Mushtaq Minhas and Ch Muhammad Yaseen, the "PoK opposition leader". Lord Nazir Ahmed and imams and pirs from Birmingham mosques also spoke.
After the protest concluded around 4pm, a family with four children headed towards India House carrying PoK flags and some small placards. Draped in PoK flags, they discreetly took a picture of themselves standing on the road opposite to the mission building before hurrying off.
[1][2][3][4]
from UK News Headlines, Latest UK News and Live Updates - Times of India https://ift.tt/2pVhggH
While India House resembled a fortress with police guarding all entry points to it, vans, horses and ambulances were stationed down side streets and all along the route, suggesting letters from the British Indian community to the UK authorities in advance had paid off.
The protesters had arranged a digital van that said "83 days of Indian siege" and displayed news reports of alleged "atrocities" in Kashmir. On the other hand, several British Indians paid £1,500 for a digital van that projected Happy Diwali messages, including one which read "Stop bullets, be friends" and another that said 'Dear PoK and Pakistani friends, Happy Diwali" - all to the accompaniment of the song 'Dil-Wali Diwali' by Shankar Mahadevan.
Both vans went round and round Aldwych, but managed to avoid each other.
Far less protesters descended on London than during the August 15 and September 3 protests. Roughly 5,000 to 7,000 people turned up, mainly PoK-born UK citizens from Birmingham, whereas previous protests had seen a turnout of more than 25,000.
Those whom TOI spoke to said the protests had been coordinated by large mosques in Birmingham. "The mosques announced these protests, but it was the political groups that organised them," one protester said.
Outside India House at about 1.30pm TOI saw a small group of 20 protesters being confronted by a police officer. They were escorted to Parliament Street with their flags and placards held down.
Metropolitan police had in advance imposed pre-event conditions on the rally, banning protesters from assembling outside or marching towards India House and warning they would face arrest and prosecution if they defied the order.
Men, women and children gathered at Parliament Street and outside Downing Street with placards and PoK flags between 12pm and 3pm. The placards they carried read "Jammu and Kashmir belongs to its people", "Wake up United Nations" and "End Indian occupation of Kashmir." One group was holding "Free-Palestine" placards.
A handful of pro-Khalistan Sikhs carried "Khalistan" and blue "Referendum 2020" flags. The Union Jack and an Arabic flag were also seen. Footage of purported protests in Srinagar was shown on a digital screen.
Mirpur-born Muhammed Najeeb blamed home secretary Priti Patel for the route being changed to avoid India House. "It is because of her we could not protest outside the Indian embassy as she is favouring India," he said.
There were speeches by "politicians" such as "PoK information minister" Mushtaq Minhas and Ch Muhammad Yaseen, the "PoK opposition leader". Lord Nazir Ahmed and imams and pirs from Birmingham mosques also spoke.
After the protest concluded around 4pm, a family with four children headed towards India House carrying PoK flags and some small placards. Draped in PoK flags, they discreetly took a picture of themselves standing on the road opposite to the mission building before hurrying off.
[1][2][3][4]
References
- ^ Diwali (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
- ^ India House (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
- ^ PoK (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
- ^ Priti Patel (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
from UK News Headlines, Latest UK News and Live Updates - Times of India https://ift.tt/2pVhggH
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