In response to a Pakistani protest against what was described as “Indian propaganda” following the Pahalgam terror attack, a massive gathering of Indian diaspora members assembled outside the Indian High Commission in London on Sunday evening.
Chanting slogans like “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and “Vande Mataram”, and proudly waving the Indian Tricolour, the pro-India demonstrators significantly outnumbered the smaller group of British Pakistanis protesting across the street from India House. The Metropolitan Police maintained a strong presence to keep the two groups apart amid exchanges of insults, as reported by PTI.
Later that evening, members of the Indian community held a candlelight vigil at Piccadilly Circus, honouring the 26 victims of the April 22 Pahalgam attack. This vigil was part of a broader “All Eyes on Pahalgam” movement, with similar protests and commemorations taking place across Manchester, Edinburgh, and Belfast, denouncing Pakistan’s alleged backing of terror groups.
“Our aim is to present a united front against terrorism,” said a spokesperson from Insight UK, one of the key community organisations behind these events.
Sunday’s show of solidarity followed an earlier protest on Friday outside the Pakistan High Commission, organised by Indian diaspora groups. That event was marred by a counter-protest from British Pakistanis, where a Pakistani official was captured on video making a threatening throat-slitting gesture towards the Indian demonstrators—a clip that rapidly went viral on social media, drawing widespread condemnation.
