Two Khalistani protesters were arrested after clashes broke out between pro-India and anti-India groups during a rally held in front of the Indian Consulate in Toronto on Saturday.
Violence broke out as 250 Khalistani supporters were confronted by a pro-India rally held at the same time. Toronto Police were forced to get involved by putting up barricades. One protester allegedly breached the barricade and was quickly arrested by police.
Another protester was arrested for allegedly assaulting a police officer. Both protesters were released without charges according to Hindustan Times.
“The violent side of the Khalistanis was exposed when one of them broke through the police barricade to try and attack our gathering,” said Neel Sehgal, a pro-India supporter.
The “Khalistan Freedom Rally” was promoted to seek justice after Sikh separatist Shaheed Jathedar Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed in Surrey, B.C. last month. The poster includes a call to “Kill India” and describes Indian diplomats Sanjay Kumar Verma and Apoorva Srivastava as the “killers” responsible for Nijjar’s death.
Newly elected Mayor-elect of Toronto Olivia Chow did not comment on the incident over the weekend.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly described the posters as “unacceptable.”
As Indian diplomats continue to grow weary of their safety in Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did not offer comments on the protests or the rise of Khalistani sympathies in Canada.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has condemned Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s recent refusal to denounce Sikh terrorism after last month’s pro-Khalistani rally, which coincided with the 38th anniversary of the Air India Flight 182 bombing that killed 280 Canadians.
“They are wrong,” said Trudeau last week when asked by reporters about India claiming his government is soft on Sikh extremism. “Canada has always taken extremely seriously violence and threats of violence.”
“We’ve always taken serious action against terrorism and we always will.”
India took issue with Trudeau’s comments, claiming that the prime minister is pandering for votes.
“The issue is not about freedom of expression,” said official MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi. “But it’s misuse for advocating violence, propagating separatism, and legitimizing terrorism.
“Our sense is that these posters inciting violence against our diplomats and our diplomatic premises abroad are unacceptable and we condemn them in the strongest terms,” said Bagchi concerning the threat posed toward Indian diplomats.
