'Indian community will pay for sins of others': Kanwal Sibal warns after massive London protests
Kanwal Sibal's remarks followed Saturday's "Unite the Kingdom" march led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson that drew over 110,000 people-far exceeding police expectations-and descended into violence.
- Sep 14, 2025,
- Updated Sep 14, 2025 10:29 AM IST
Former Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal on Sunday cautioned that Britain's law-abiding Indian diaspora could face unfair backlash from the escalating wave of anti-immigration protests in London.
"The danger of this backlash is that even the law-abiding, modern minded Indian origin community which does not seek to assert its retrogressive religious norms and practices, is not prone to violence and is not a burden on the welfare state will be amalgamated with those that this massive demonstrators are protesting against. The Indian community will pay for the sins of others if this backlash takes momentum," Sibal warned.
Sibal's remarks followed Saturday's "Unite the Kingdom" march led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson that drew over 110,000 people-far exceeding police expectations-and descended into violence.
Metropolitan Police confirmed 26 officers were injured, including cases of broken teeth, a possible broken nose, and a spinal injury, after clashes with Robinson supporters. At least 25 people were arrested for violent disorder, assaults, and criminal damage.
"There is no doubt that many came to exercise their lawful right to protest, but there were many who came intent on violence," said Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist. He added that Robinson’s supporters attempted to breach police cordons separating them from a rival "March Against Fascism" rally organised by Stand Up To Racism, which drew about 5,000 participants.
Robinson, founder of the nationalist English Defence League, told the crowd that migrants had "more rights in court than the British public, the people that built this nation." French far-right politician Eric Zemmour also addressed the rally, declaring, “We are both subject to the same process of the great replacement of our European people by peoples coming from the south and of Muslim culture, you and we are being colonised by our former colonies."
The anti-migrant demonstration, which stretched nearly a kilometre from Big Ben across the River Thames, saw supporters wave Union Jacks and St George’s flags, chanting "stop the boats" and "we want our country back."
The unrest came amid growing hostility toward asylum-seekers arriving across the English Channel and follows months of protests at hotels housing migrants. Critics fear the mass rallies are hardening public sentiment against all immigrant groups—including long-settled and integrated communities.
(With inputs from Associated Press)
Former Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal on Sunday cautioned that Britain's law-abiding Indian diaspora could face unfair backlash from the escalating wave of anti-immigration protests in London.
"The danger of this backlash is that even the law-abiding, modern minded Indian origin community which does not seek to assert its retrogressive religious norms and practices, is not prone to violence and is not a burden on the welfare state will be amalgamated with those that this massive demonstrators are protesting against. The Indian community will pay for the sins of others if this backlash takes momentum," Sibal warned.
Sibal's remarks followed Saturday's "Unite the Kingdom" march led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson that drew over 110,000 people-far exceeding police expectations-and descended into violence.
Metropolitan Police confirmed 26 officers were injured, including cases of broken teeth, a possible broken nose, and a spinal injury, after clashes with Robinson supporters. At least 25 people were arrested for violent disorder, assaults, and criminal damage.
"There is no doubt that many came to exercise their lawful right to protest, but there were many who came intent on violence," said Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist. He added that Robinson’s supporters attempted to breach police cordons separating them from a rival "March Against Fascism" rally organised by Stand Up To Racism, which drew about 5,000 participants.
Robinson, founder of the nationalist English Defence League, told the crowd that migrants had "more rights in court than the British public, the people that built this nation." French far-right politician Eric Zemmour also addressed the rally, declaring, “We are both subject to the same process of the great replacement of our European people by peoples coming from the south and of Muslim culture, you and we are being colonised by our former colonies."
The anti-migrant demonstration, which stretched nearly a kilometre from Big Ben across the River Thames, saw supporters wave Union Jacks and St George’s flags, chanting "stop the boats" and "we want our country back."
The unrest came amid growing hostility toward asylum-seekers arriving across the English Channel and follows months of protests at hotels housing migrants. Critics fear the mass rallies are hardening public sentiment against all immigrant groups—including long-settled and integrated communities.
(With inputs from Associated Press)