The United Kingdom has condemned the security breach involving External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar after a pro-Khalistan protester broke past a barrier and approached his motorcade outside Chatham House in London on Wednesday evening.
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) stated that such attempts to “intimidate, threaten, or disrupt” public events are “completely unacceptable”.
“We strongly condemn the incident that took place outside Chatham House yesterday (Wednesday) during the External Affairs Minister’s visit to the UK,” the spokesperson said.
“While the UK upholds the right to peaceful protest, any attempts to intimidate, threaten, or disrupt public events are completely unacceptable. The Metropolitan Police acted swiftly to address the situation, and we remain fully committed to ensuring the security of all our diplomatic visitors, in line with our international obligations,” the spokesperson added.
The incident occurred on the second day of Jaishankar’s nearly week-long visit to the UK and Ireland.
Chatham House, home to the Royal Institute of International Affairs, was the venue for Jaishankar’s event, during which a small group of pro-Khalistan protesters gathered on the opposite side of the road behind metal barriers.
Videos posted on social media showed the protesters waving yellow flags and chanting slogans such as “Khalistan Zindabad”.
As Jaishankar exited the building and approached his vehicle, a tall man carrying an Indian flag emerged from behind the barriers, broke through a police cordon, and ran towards the motorcade.
He jostled with police personnel before standing in front of the vehicle and tearing the Indian flag. He was subsequently apprehended and removed by the police.
India has strongly condemned the security breach and urged the UK government to “live up to their diplomatic obligations”.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described the incident as a breach of the minister’s security and criticised the “provocative activities” of pro-Khalistan elements.
“We have seen footage of a breach of security during the visit of EAM [External Affairs Minister] to the UK. We condemn the provocative activities of this small group of separatists and extremists,” Jaiswal said.
“We deplore the misuse of democratic freedoms by such elements. We expect the host government in such cases to fully live up to their diplomatic obligations.”
The UK authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to the safety of diplomatic visitors, while the Indian government continues to seek assurances regarding the security of its officials during foreign visits.
Also Read: India Condemns Khalistani-Linked Security Breach During Jaishankar’s UK Visit
