Indian and Pakistani protesters face-off outside Pakistan High Commission in London after Pahalgam terror attack

A confrontation broke out between Indian diaspora groups and Pakistani counter-protesters outside the Pakistan High Commission in London on Friday evening, following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people in Kashmir. The protest was organised under the banner "All Eyes on Pahalgam" in response to the April 22 attack, which was claimed by The Resistance Front, an offshoot of the banned Pakistan-linked Lashkar-e-Taiba.

During the protest, a Pakistani diplomatic official was seen on the balcony of the mission building at Lowndes Square holding a poster featuring a sketch of Indian Air Force pilot Captain Abhinandan Varthaman with the words “Chai is Fantastic,” referring to his captivity in February 2019. The official, standing beside a banner reading “Pakistan stands with Kashmiris,” made a throat-slitting gesture towards the Indian demonstrators, leading to condemnation from the Indian side.

Indian protestors, holding the national tricolour and placards with messages such as “Stop Terrorism” and “End Terror on Kashmir,” called for strict international action against Pakistan. A spokesperson for Friends of India Society International (FISI) UK stated, “We demand strict international action and urge the UK government to stand with India and reconsider its policy towards Pakistan.” Flyers distributed during the protest urged participants to stand for "unity, justice and humanity."

Pakistani counter-protesters set up loudspeakers and played patriotic songs in an attempt to drown out the slogans and speeches of the Indian demonstrators. A strong security deployment by the Metropolitan Police kept the two groups separated, and at least one protester was arrested on the grounds of racial abuse after being chased and detained by police officers.

The protest followed fresh tensions after the Pahalgam terror attack, with Indian groups holding Pakistan responsible for backing terrorism in Kashmir. Meanwhile, Pakistan officials maintained their support for Kashmiri separatist sentiments, as displayed through banners and slogans at the London protest site.