Security Up at Indian Consulate in US’ San Francisco as Khalistani Supporters Stage Fresh Protests

The Consul General of India at San Francisco said on Wednesday that he met the chief of San Francisco Police Department and requested him to raise the security days after the Indian mission in the US was attacked by pro-Khalistan supporters.

“Thank you @SFPDChief for the assurances. Met Chief Scott to discuss the attack on @CGISFO Chancery building on March 19 and request to raise the level of protection to the Consulate premises and personnel,” TV Nagendra Prasad, the Consul General of India at San Francisco said in a tweet.

More than 200 protestors had gathered around the Indian Consulate in San Francisco on Wednesday for a planned demonstration carrying Khalistan flags. Meanwhile, security was heightened by the San Francisco Police Department, according to ANI.

Unlike Sunday’s violent protests, the protestors were heavily barricaded across the road with the San Francisco Police officers standing guard and patrolling the area.

The fresh protest comes after pro-Khalistan protesters last Sunday made an attempt to set on fire India’s consulate in San Francisco. The protesters vandalised, broke open the makeshift security barriers raised by the city police and installed two so-called Khalistan flags inside the Consulate premises in San Francisco.

The group of angry protesters also entered the Consulate premises and started hitting the door and windows with iron rods.

John Kirby, National Security Council Coordinator for strategic communications at the White House condemned the incident and said, “The vandalism, it’s just absolutely unacceptable.”

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan also condemned the acts of violence against the Indian Consulate in San Francisco that have outraged Indian Americans and people in India.

India on Monday lodged a strong protest with the US Charge d’Affaires in Delhi over the incident of vandalism at the Consulate General in San Francisco.

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 separate statement, the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) strongly condemned the attack on the Indian mission in San Francisco, California.

“The United States and India are vibrant democracies and understand that the right to assemble peacefully and protest is sacrosanct. However, violence and vandalism will not be condoned or tolerated,” it said.

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