The pro-Khalistan group was challenged by pro-India demonstrators, who faced off against them across the street outside Indian consulate in Toronto.
Two Khalistani protesters were apprehended by police as violence broke out at an anti-India rally outside the Indian consulate in Canada’s Toronto on Saturday. About 250 pro-Khalistani elements gathered across the street from the building housing India’s consulate. The protest, backed by the secessionist group Sikhs for Justice or SFJ, had been publicised through the circulation of the infamous ‘Kill India’ posters online, which targeted India’s seniormost envoys in Canada.
However, this time the pro-Khalistan group was challenged by pro-India demonstrators, who faced off against them across the street. They were separated by a line of Toronto Police personnel, even as barricades were erected to restrain the protestors and the section of Bloor Street where the building is located, was blocked to traffic.
The pro-Khalistan group attempted to breach the barricade and storm the pro-India contingent. Police pushed them back and one person who rushed ahead was thrown to the ground and subdued and taken away by the police.
A Khalistani protester being subdued by Toronto Police after he broke through barricades and attempted to attack a pro-India group outside the Indian consulate.(HT photo)
Two persons were apprehended, the second for apparently assaulting a police officer. However, a spokesperson for Toronto Police, responding to an emailed query from the Hindustan Times, said both were subsequently released without charges.
The Khalistani group held posters of SFJ leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was murdered in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18. The posters accused India of being behind the assassination. Other posters promoted the so-called Punjab Referendum’s next phase, in the Greater Toronto Area or GTA on July 16. Some of them also wore jackets, bearing the legend Republic of Khalistan and bearing an image of an AK47.
The pro-India group did not flinch even when the attempted attack was prevented and though they were outnumbered. After the group was dispersed on Saturday evening, amid light rain, by police, one of them, Arvind Mishra said, “We were successfully able to demonstrate resistance to the Khalistanis.”