Friday's protest was the culmination of a series of street actions this week, beginning with an emergency demonstration outside India House that rallied for sweeping electoral reforms. Students from the Student Federation of India UK (SFI UK) assembled outside the High Commission of India, while a smaller pro‑government contingent staged a counter‑protest.
Metropolitan Police officers kept the two crowds apart with a series of barricades, as the students chanted "Azadi" and "Saare Jahaan Se Achcha", while the counter‑protesters echoed "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" and "Modi, Modi". A large cut‑out of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was waved by the counter‑protesters.
Speakers at the SFI UK rally urged the crowd to respond to the counter‑protesters with "Jai Bhim" and "Shame", while the pro‑government group attempted to drown out the chants with their own "Shame" slogans over a loudspeaker.
London‑based entrepreneur Rahul Kale, whose business ties to India run through a landmark FTA, warned that the protests could erode investor confidence. "Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has expanded global trade through an FTA with the UK, opening new export opportunities," Kale said. Hirdesh Gupta, founder‑director of Indian Expatriates in the UK, defended the protest, saying, "We gathered at the High Commission to express unwavering faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is working tirelessly for India’s progress and prosperity."
Organizers announced that further protests and counter‑protests are planned for the coming days in London.