Indian Journalist Attacked During Pro-Khalistan Protest In Washington, Shares Images Of The Attack

An Indian journalist claimed on Sunday that he was physically attacked and verbally assaulted by Khalistan supporters in Washington while covering a pro-Khalistan protest outside the Indian embassy.

Lalit Jha, a Washington-based journalist, said Khalistani’s supporters hit his left ear with two sticks and thanked the US Secret Service for protecting him.

In a tweet, Jha shared a video of Khalistani supporters and wrote: “Thank you @SecretService 4 my protection 2 days 4 helping to do my job otherwise I would have been writing this from hospital. The gentleman below hit my left ear with these 2 sticks and before that I had to call 9/11 and rushed 2 police vans 4 security for fear of physical assault.”

“At one point I felt so threatened that I called 911. Then I saw the Secret Service officers and told them about the incident,” Jha told ANI.

He further said that pro-Khalistan protesters in support of Amritpal Singh waved Khalistan flags and descended on the Indian embassy in the presence of the US Secret Service.

Supporters openly threatened to vandalize the embassy and threatened Indian ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Jha added.

The report says the protesters in Washington included turbaned men of all ages who raised pro-Khalistan slogans.

Indian-American politician Ro Khanna condemned the attack, calling it an assault on journalism.

“This violence against @lalitkjha is outrageous and an assault on journalism. I condemn it in the strongest terms. Lalit is one of the fairest and most thoughtful journalists. Thank you to our security for protecting Lalit, the diplomats and the consulate,” Ro Khanna said in a tweet.

They came from different parts of the DC-Maryland-Virginia (DMV) area and used microphones to deliver anti-Indian speeches in both English and Punjabi and targeted Punjab police for alleged human rights violations.

The incident comes amid recent vandalism of the Indian mission in San Francisco and London.

A group of pro-Khalistan protesters attacked and damaged the Indian consulate in San Francisco last Sunday. Raising pro-Khalistan slogans, the protesters broke down makeshift security barriers erected by the city police and installed two flags called Khalistani inside the Consulate premises. Two consulate staff members soon removed these flags.

In London, protesters held a demonstration outside the Indian High Commission in London on Wednesday, throwing colored sparklers and water bottles towards the mission. Last Sunday, pro-Khalistan extremists broke windows and also tried to pull the Tricolor down from its flagpole in the mission.

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