New York: The United States has expressed strong condemnation regarding the recent act of vandalism and attempted arson carried out by pro-Khalistan supporters against the Indian Consulate in San Francisco. The incident, which occurred on Sunday, has raised concerns about the safety of diplomatic facilities on American soil.
US State Department spokesperson, Matthew Miller, tweeted, “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.”
According to sources, around 1:40 AM on Sunday, a group of Khalistan radicals made an attempt to set fire to the Indian Consulate in San Francisco. The San Francisco Fire Department acted swiftly and suppressed the fire. Local law enforcement, along with special diplomatic security personnel, state authorities, and federal agencies, were immediately informed and launched an investigation into the incident.
The targeted acts of vandalism extend beyond the consulate itself. The Indian Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, and Dr. TV Nagendra Prasad, Consul General of the Consulate General of India in San Francisco, have been featured in a poster circulated by Sikh extremists. These extremists have accused them of involvement in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the chief of the Khalistan Tiger Force and a designated terrorist, in Canada.
Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar has appealed to partner countries such as Canada, the UK, and Australia, requesting that they deny space and support to the Khalistani movement due to its radical extremist ideologies.
This is not the first time that the San Francisco Consulate has faced such attacks. In March, several protesters raised pro-Khalistan slogans and breached the makeshift security barriers set up by the San Francisco Police Department. They also displayed two self-proclaimed Khalistani flags within the consulate premises.
Despite multiple incidents of protests staged by Khalistan supporters outside the Indian embassy and the San Francisco Consulate, no action has been taken against any individuals or groups thus far. Moreover, it has come to light that extremist Sikh groups are planning to hold rallies outside Indian missions in the US on July 8. The situation remains a matter of concern for both the Indian and US authorities as they work towards ensuring the safety of diplomatic missions and personnel.
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