Washington, March 26: A group of Khalistan supporters gathered in front of the Indian mission here and many of their speakers tried to incite violence, but timely intervention by an alert US Secret Service and local police prevented a repeat of London and San Francisco incidents of vandalism at the mission.
Separatist Sikhs, who gathered outside the Indian Embassy in downtown Washington DC on Saturday, heralded abusive language and openly threatened Indian Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu. The Ambassador was not in the embassy at the time of the protest.
Some of the speakers were seen inciting fellow protestors to indulge in violence and break the windows and glasses of the building across the road.
In their speeches, most of the protestors were seen trying to incite violence not only in India but here as well, including physical damage to the Indian Embassy property.
Sensing that things might go out of control, the Secret Service and the local police quickly brought in reinforcement and more forces were deployed and at least three police vans were placed in front of the Embassy.
At one point of time, five protesters quickly crossed the road and were about to break into the temporary marker of the embassy property near the pole unfurling the tricolour before they were asked to leave.
Secret Service personnel, who were closely watching this, in no time rushed to the spot and asked the protesters to go back to the designated protest area, before any untoward incident could happen.
It appeared that the protesters had come prepared to do something similar like damaging Indian properties at the Indian Consulate in San Francisco and the Indian High Commission in London.
This PTI reporter saw separatists bringing two bundles of wooden sticks that were kept in the park that has the status of Mahatma Gandhi in front of the embassy.
The wooden sticks were similar to those which were used to break the door and windows and smash the glasses of the Indian Consulate in San Francisco. While one bundle was used to display the separatist flag, the other bundle of about 20 sticks was kept aside.
(PTI)
