Khalistanis protest in Canada's Toronto, openly threaten Indian diplomats (WATCH)

The Indian Consulate in Toronto was once again the site of protests by Khalistani supporters. They arrived in large numbers with flags and raised slogans. Members of the Indian community with national flags countered the Khalistani protesters. Despite concerns raised by New Delhi, photos of Indian diplomats were splashed on posters mounted on trucks and branded as "killers" by the Khalistani protesters.

The protestors accused the Indian government of being complicit in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, an individual wanted in multiple cases as a declared terrorist in India. This, despite the Canadian authorities making it abundantly clear that threatening of diplomats is unacceptable.

A group aligned with the pro-Khalistani movement had organized a pro-Khalistan rally outside the Indian High Commission in Ottawa on July 8.

During the demonstration, the protestors prominently displayed Khalistani flags and chanted slogans advocating for 'Khalistan.' They started their march from the suburbs of Toronto and eventually gathered in front of the Indian consulate, where they encountered approximately 50 individuals supporting the Indian government.

Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, had previously raised concerns about acts of violence targeting diplomatic premises and threats against Indian diplomats in discussions with counterparts in London.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated on Thursday that Canada has consistently taken strong measures against terrorism and will continue to do so. He emphasized that it is inaccurate to perceive his government as being lenient towards supporters of Khalistan or terrorists in the country.

Earlier, on June 3, Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly had said in a statement that her country takes its obligations under the Vienna Conventions regarding the safety of diplomats very seriously. "Canada remains in close contact with Indian officials in light of some of the promotional material circulating online regarding a protest planned for July 8th, which are unacceptable,” she said. Despite this, the Khalistanis went ahead and openly threatened the diplomats and raised anti-India slogans.