A march planned by pro-Pakistani separatist groups on Kashmir to coincide with Diwali on Sunday has been denied permission by the UK authorities to assemble outside the Indian High Commission in London.
A day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson told MPs in the House of Commons that any kind of violence during such demonstrations was "wholly unacceptable", Scotland Yard confirmed on Thursday that it has imposed restrictions on the groups that had applied for the protest march.
“We understand that this is a significant anniversary date for those protesting, and also recognise this falls on the important Hindu festival of Diwali. My intention on the day will be to balance the rights of those protesting with those who may be affected by it.
"We will take all necessary steps to prevent crime and disorder," said Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist, the Gold Commander in charge of the policing operation.
"The assembly and march must start in Parliament Street, process along Whitehall and conclude in Trafalgar Square. These are very iconic London locations, allowing good visibility of the protest, but will avoid the serious disruption that would be caused if roads closer to the High Commission became blocked,” he said.
The Met Police said it had imposed the pre-event conditions on the "Free Kashmir protest" under Sections 12 and 14 of the UK Public Order Act, which refer to preventing serious disruption to the community, and warned that failure to adhere to the conditions could lead to arrest and prosecution.
The groups named among the organisers of Sunday’s protest include Muslim Action Forum, World Muslim Federation, Pakistan Patriotic Front, Overseas Pakistan Welfare Council, Jammu Kashmir National Awami Party and PTI AJK.
The Met Police said it is liaising closely with the organisers and the High Commission of India to prepare for the policing operation.
"The Met will take all necessary steps to ensure the security and integrity of the High Commission of India and the safety of those who work there or visit on the day,” the Met Police statement added.
The route of the march has now been laid out past Parliament Street to converge on Trafalgar Square in London but not assemble outside the Indian High Commission building at nearby Aldwych. It follows various interventions over the last few days, including a diplomatic "note verbale" from the Indian High Commission expressing safety concerns.
On Wednesday, Conservative Party MP Bob Blackman had raised his fears of violence during the weekly Prime Minister's Questions session in Parliament.
He urged the Prime Minister to take action as he told the House about violent protests by similar “pro-Pakistani” groups at the London mission during Indian Independence Day celebrations on 15 August.
"This is a police operational matter and the home secretary [Priti Patel] will be raising it with the police,” Johnson responded.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)