Pro-Khalistan demonstrators surrounded External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s car as he drove out of London’s Chatham House on Wednesday, March 5, 2025.
Pro-Khalistan banners and loudspeaker sloganeering were shown by the demonstrators who had congregated outside the structure. One protester is seen destroying an Indian tricolor-like flag in front of Mr. Jaishankar’s car in a social media video before being escorted out by police. On Wednesday evening, Mr. Jaishankar attended a session at the London-based think tank Chatham House on the subject of “India’s rise and role in the world.” He is in the United Kingdom for diplomatic discussions with British authorities.
The Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs when asked about the incident during Mr. Jaishankar’s visit, said, “We have seen the footage of a breach of security during the visit of EAM to the U.K. We condemn the provocative activities of this small group of separatists and extremists. We deplore the misuse of democratic freedoms by such elements. We expect the host government in such cases to fully live upto their diplomatic obligations.”
Pro-Khalistan fanatics had staged a protest outside the Indian High Commission in London earlier in January. In the past, they had also broken into a movie theater in the town of Harrow, London, and tried to prevent the showing of the Kangana Ranaut movie Emergency.
When asked about the destructions being caused by Khalistani forces in some U.K. theatres screening ‘Emergency’, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said, “We consistently raise concerns with the U.K. Government regarding incidents of violent protest and intimidation by anti-India elements, freedom of speech and expression cannot be applied selectively and those obstructing it must be held accountable.”
EAM Jaishankar had talks with Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and a number of other high-ranking officials during his current tour to the United Kingdom. “The two leaders discussed topics like talent flow and collaboration between India and the UK to combat “trafficking and extremism”,” Mr. Jaishankar said during his meeting with U.K. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper on Tuesday. He said on X, “A good meeting with Home Secretary @YvetteCooperMP today in London. We discussed the flow of talent, people to people exchanges, and joint efforts in tackling trafficking and extremism.”
