Pro-Khalistan protesters attempted to set India's consulate in San Francisco on fire: Report

By Team Newsable | First Published Mar 21, 2023, 11:45 AM IST

Saturday evening, the separatist Sikhs defaced the wall and premises of the consulate with graffiti. Consulate employees were quick enough to remove the graffiti. All the concerned law enforcement authorities were immediately informed about it.

In what comes as a reent development, a group of pro-Khalistan protesters on Sunday (March 19) attempted to set India's consulate on fire in San Francisco, with senior Indian diplomats informing their American counterparts that they anticipate more such protests by anti-national elements in the coming weeks.

The incident is reported to have taken place around 4:20 am on Sunday, a portion of which was captured on the consulate's CCTV. It is believed that two bearded men wearing a cap, who remain unidentified so far, poured flammable material at the entrance of the Indian mission in San Francisco and tried to put the building on flame, sources told the news agency.

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However, the fire did not spread for reasons not known, possibly due to the building material or the quality of flammable liquid, multiple sources told PTI. The consulate in San Francisco immediately took up the matter with the city police and concerned authorities at multiple levels from San Francisco to Washington DC.

However, the protestors went violent later in the day. Around 11 hours later, in the absence of a strong law enforcement and city police presence, pro-Khalistan supporters broke the makeshift barricade, forced entry inside the premises of the Indian Consulate in San Francisco and hammered at the doors and windows, shattered the glass panes after their Khalistan flag was removed by the mission staffers.

In the process, one of the consulate employees sustained minor injuries. The Indian Consulate in San Francisco and senior officials from the Indian Embassy here have lodged a very strong protest at multiple levels in the US Government and the California State Government.

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On Monday, the Khalistani protestors pitched a tent outside the San Francisco consulate. Among those present in the protest were those who were part of the vandalism and defacing of Indian property. The local Indian American community is outraged that the San Francisco Police have taken no action against them.

Several people who came to the consulate for passport or visa services were harassed by the protestors and in some cases even obstructed from entering the premises. Multiple sources told PTI that it all started on Saturday evening when a group of Khalistan activists pitched a tent in front of the consulate premises and started the protest.

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They were told that they had information that the protest might turn violent. On Sunday, around 4.20 am as captured on CCTV of the consulate, there was a serious attempt to put the building on fire. Local officials were soon informed about this failed attempt, which if successful could have dented permanent damage to the bilateral relationship between the two countries.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi said the US government was asked to take appropriate measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.

"In a meeting with the US Charge d'Affaires in New Delhi, India conveyed its strong protest at the vandalisation of the property of the Consulate General of India, San Francisco," the MEA said.

(With inputs from PTI)

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