On Wednesday, more than 200 protesters waving Khalistan flags descended upon the Indian Consulate in San Francisco for a planned demonstration. This comes after the Consulate was violently attacked on Sunday. However, unlike Sunday, the protesters were heavily barricaded across the road, and uniformed officers from the San Francisco Police Department stood guard and patrolled the area.
The protesters, which included turbaned men of all ages, came from different parts of the Bay area and chanted pro-Khalistan slogans. The organizers of the protest used microphones to make anti-India speeches in both English and Punjabi language. They criticized the Punjab Police for alleged human rights violations and accused the Indian media of bias. One of the protesters made allegations that they were not fringe elements backed by Pakistan’s spy agency ISI.
The Indian Consulate in San Francisco has been working with enforcement agencies to secure its premises and the diplomats working at the mission. Consul General of India at San Francisco Ambassador Nagendra Prasad took to Twitter to thank the San Francisco Police Department Chief for the assurances of protection. He also requested an increase in the level of protection to the Consulate premises and personnel.
The vandalism at the Indian Consulate in San Francisco was condemned by the US, with the White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby stating that it is “absolutely unacceptable.” The State Department’s diplomatic security service is working with local authorities to properly investigate the incident. They have also pledged to defend the safety and security of diplomatic facilities as well as the diplomats who work within them.
Khalistan supporters have been causing chaos across the world, with recent attacks on the Indian Consulate in London and San Francisco. The supporters allegedly attacked the Indian Consulate in San Francisco, brandishing Khalistan flags mounted on wooden poles and using them to smash glass doors and windows of the consulate building. They raised pro-Khalistan slogans as they broke through makeshift security barriers raised by the city police and installed two Khalistani flags inside the premises.
India conveyed its strong protest to the US Charge d’Affaires in New Delhi and reminded the US government of its obligation to protect and secure diplomatic representation. The Ministry of External Affairs released a press statement asking the US government to take appropriate measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.