On Saturday, 250 pro-Khalistani demonstrators congregated across the street from the Indian consulate in Toronto, Canada.
After violence broke out at the rally, the police arrested two demonstrators. A pro-India rally countered the rally that attempted to defend their diplomats and consulate.
Sikh Leader's Death in Canada Sparks Dueling Protests
The pro-Khalistani demonstration was supported by the secessionist group Sikhs for Justice, infamous for its 'Destroy India' posters targeting senior Indian envoys in Canada. The pro-Khalistani and pro-India factions blocked traffic on Bloor Street in Toronto by facing off near the Indian consulate.
A police line separated the two groups, and barricades were erected to prevent the protestors from engaging in violent behavior. The pro-Khalistan group reportedly attempted to assault the pro-India contingent by destroying the barricade, but the police drove them back, as per Outlook India.
One individual who escaped police restraints was apprehended and taken away by police. While a second individual was arrested for assaulting a police officer. According to reports, the two were subsequently released without prosecution.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the leader of the SFJ, was slain on June 18, and his supporters held posters of him during the rally while accusing India of being responsible for his death. The concerned posters also promoted the next phase of the referendum in the Greater Toronto Area on July 16, and some demonstrators wore AK47-emblazoned vests bearing the legend of the Republic of Khalistan.
According to Big News Network, the Sikh community blamed the Indian government for the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, which supporters hope to call Khalistan. Nijjar advocated separating portions of northern India and possibly Pakistan to form an independent Sikh state. India accused Nijjar of conducting terrorist attacks within India, which he denied.
The demonstrators, who were almost exclusively males, carried yellow flags with blue separatist movement insignia and chanted, "Khalistan! Khalistan!"
They departed from the suburbs of Toronto and arrived in front of the Indian Consulate, greeted by approximately 50 diaspora supporters of the Indian government.
They have a poster advocating for the murder of Indian diplomats. One of the counterdemonstrators, Vijay Jain, an IT consultant, told AFP, "We are concerned because these organizations have committed terrorist acts in the past, but legislators are not taking action."
Twenty police officers intervened to separate the two groups, and one Sikh protester was detained after breaking down a barrier and fleeing to the other side. Since the murder of the Sikh leader, tensions between Canada and India have increased. New Delhi routinely accuses Ottawa of indifference toward Sikh demonstrators in Canada.
Arindam Bagchi, a spokesperson for India's foreign minister, said on Thursday, "We've asked the Canadian government to take all necessary steps to secure the protection of our diplomats."
Canada has the highest concentration of Sikhs outside of Punjab, India. There have been reports of pro-Khalistani groups demonstrating in front of the Indian High Commission in several countries. This comprises the Indian High Commissions in Australia, the United States, and Canada.
Multiple reports corroborate that the pro-Khalistani protesters displayed controversial posters. PTI reported that controversial posters inciting violence at the rally featured images of the Indian High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami and the Consul General of India in Birmingham, Dr. Shashank Vikram.
India's Foreign Relations
Nevertheless, it should be noted that all disturbances have dissipated sooner than anticipated, also due to the visible police presence in all countries. Amritpal Singh, the chief of the pro-Khalistan group and a fugitive in India became the focus of the protests after the Punjab government launched a crackdown to capture him.
In light of the anti-India attacks and social media posters by Khalistani extremists, the British government has declared that any direct attacks on the High Commission of India in London are impermissible. Local media reported that in January of this year, a brawl broke out between the Indian diaspora and Khalistan supporters in Australia during a referendum called by the proscribed Sikhs For Justice to establish an independent Sikh state.
Further in the month of March, Khalistan supporters congregated in front of the Australian parliament in Canberra to protest the police crackdown on Amritpal Singh and his cohorts in Punjab. In March 2023, pro-Khalistan protesters attacked and damaged the Indian Consulate in San Francisco, prompting India-Americans to demand immediate action against the perpetrators.
Protesters, chanting pro-Khalistan slogans, breached the improvised security barriers erected by the municipal police and erected two so-called Khalistani flags within the Consulate grounds. Two consular staff members quickly removed these emblems. Per Mint, furious protestors entered the consulate and began striking the door and windows with iron rods shortly thereafter.
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