Khalistan men attack Indian consulate in San Francisco

Nijjar, a wanted terrorist who carried a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh on his head, was shot outside a gurdwara in Canada last month. Responding to the incident, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a tweet on Monday: “The US strongly condemns the reported vandalism and attempted arson against the Indian Consulate in San Francisco on Saturday. Vandalism or violence against diplomatic facilities or foreign diplomats in the US is a criminal offence.”

Diya TV, a South Asian broadcast TV network in the US, said in a tweet that “a fire was set early Sunday morning between 1:30-2:30 am in the San Francisco Indian Consulate.” “The fire was suppressed quickly by the San Francisco Department, the damage was limited and no staffers were harmed. Local, state and federal authorities have been notified,” it said. The outlet also posted a video of the arson attack.

A poster being shared on social media says that a “Khalistan Freedom Rally” will be organised on July 8 that will start in Berkeley, California and end at the Indian embassy in San Francisco. This is the second time within months that the Indian Consulate in San Francisco came under attack from Khalistani supporters.

On March 19, a group of pro-Khalistan protesters attacked and damaged the Indian Consulate in San Francisco. Raising pro-Khalistan slogans, the protesters broke open the makeshift security barriers raised by the city police and installed two so-called Khalistani flags inside the Consulate premises. Two consulate personnel soon removed these flags.

Ajay Bhutoria, an Indian community leader, said the attack on India’s consulate in San Francisco is extremely concerning and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms.

“It is deeply disturbing to see such acts of violence targeting diplomatic missions,” he said.

“The Indian consulate serves as an essential hub for providing consular services and fostering bilateral relations between India and the United States. It is crucial that the staff and members of the consulate are able to operate in a safe and secure environment, free from any threat or harm,” he added.

Bhutoria asked the San Francisco Police Department to swiftly investigate the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice.