TORONTO: Ottawa’s accusations this week detailing a deadly Indian campaign against its Canada-based critics may have further derailed bilateral relations — but to Sikh activists, the striking disclosures brought validation.
Canada has accused India of orchestrating the 2023 killing in Vancouver of 45-year-old naturalized Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent campaigner for “Khalistan,” the fringe separatist movement for an independent Sikh homeland in India’s Punjab state.
In public comments this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the national police said India’s targeting of Canadian Khalistan activists went beyond Nijjar’s killing, and has included a broad campaign of intimidation, violence and other threats.
India has dismissed the allegations.
“It was very validating,” Harinder Sohi told AFP at a thinly attended protest on Friday outside the Indian consulate in Toronto.
“This is something that we believed in for years and people weren’t listening to us,” the 42-year-old Khalistan activist said.
The dozens of protesters at Friday’s rally waved yellow flags with “Khalistan” written in bold blue letters and repeated a chant branding Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi “a terrorist.”
They also erected a prison cell around an effigy of the Indian leader.
Sohi said it was meaningful that Canada has now publicly affirmed the “danger” India poses to people living across Canada.
It “is shocking that we as Canadian citizens have to live in fear of a foreign government,” he said.
Testifying Wednesday at an inquiry on foreign interference, Trudeau made clear his government was not looking to blow up relations with a major trading partner with whom Canada has deep ties.
But he said when faced with clear evidence the Indian government had directed acts of violence inside Canada and breached Canadian “sovereignty,” he and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police resolved to go public in the interest of public safety.
The Khalistan campaign dates back to India’s 1947 independence and within India today any support for the movement faces a swift crackdown.
Jatinder Singh Grewal, a director with the Sikhs for Justice advocacy group and a Khalistan supporter, argued that Modi’s government is intent on silencing support for the movement abroad because it fears discussion among the Sikh diaspora could fuel a movement at home.
“If you allow the Canadian Sikhs, or the American Sikhs or the British Sikhs to openly talk about this, you will eventually make the Punjabi Sikh say, ‘Why can’t I talk about this openly?’“
Grewal praised Trudeau’s public disclosures and Canada’s decision to expel Indian diplomats but said more was needed, endorsing the closure of Indian consulates in Toronto and Vancouver, arguing they have been used to coordinate violence against Sikhs.
There are roughly 770,000 Sikhs in Canada, about two percent of the population, the largest Sikh community outside of India.
Sikhs are heavily concentrated in suburban areas, notably around Toronto and Vancouver, and the community’s vote has been pivotal in past national elections.
Last year, days after Trudeau first accused Indian agents of killing Nijjar, one former government foreign policy adviser charged that domestic politics had influenced Trudeau’s decisions on Sikh affairs.
Writing in The Globe and Mail, the former adviser Omer Aziz said Trudeau’s Liberal party was worried about losing votes to the left-wing New Democrats, led by Jagmeet Singh, who is Sikh.
Trudeau’s poll numbers are plummeting and with an election due in the coming months, questions have again surfaced about Trudeau’s efforts to shore up Sikh votes.
Holding a Khalistan flag at Friday’s protest, Inderjeet Singh Gosal dismissed any such political motive.
“I don’t think it’s about that,” he told AFP. “I just think that Justin Trudeau is just following his principles. He believes in rights and he believes in keeping his Canadian citizens safe.”
‘Validation’ for Sikh activists after Canada slams Indian tactics
https://arab.news/wbrmc
‘Validation’ for Sikh activists after Canada slams Indian tactics
- Canada has accused India of orchestrating the 2023 killing in Vancouver of 45-year-old naturalized Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar
- Nijjar was a prominent campaigner for “Khalistan,” the fringe separatist movement for an independent Sikh homeland in India’s Punjab state
UK calls for stability and progress in Syria amid surge of violence in the country
- British Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer describes reports of significant civilian casualties as ‘deeply concerning,’ reaffirms UK commitment to Syria’s transition
- Britain working ‘as quickly as possible’ to verify reports of the violence and identify culprits; urges interim authorities to uphold their commitment to protect all Syrians
LONDON: The UK called on Monday for interim authorities in the Syrian Arab Republic to take urgent action to address a surge of violence in the country, including reports of significant civilian casualties in coastal areas.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer described recent events as “deeply concerning,” as he reaffirmed Britain’s commitment to supporting Syria’s transition after the fall of Bashar Assad in December.
Falconer said the UK was working “as quickly as possible” to verify reports of the latest violence and identify those responsible. He urged the interim government in Damascus to uphold its commitment to protect all Syrians, and to set out a clear plan for transitional justice.
“This is a critical moment for Syria,” Falconer told MPs. “The interim authorities must demonstrate their intent to promote stability and to govern in the interests of all Syrians.”
Since Assad fled Syria, the UK has been pushing for an inclusive, Syrian-led political process to establish a representative, non-sectarian government.
Falconer welcomed the steps taken so far by the interim president, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, including the formation of a transitional government and the National Dialogue conference that took place on Feb. 25. However, he stressed that further action is required to unify factions in Syria and develop a clear road map for governance.
“The violence over the weekend demonstrates that more needs to be done to bring Syria’s different groups together,” he said. “We urge the interim authorities to urgently establish a clear process and timeline for the next phase of the transition.”
UK authorities remain engaged in high-level diplomatic discussions with Syria’s new leaders and international partners in an effort to prevent further conflict, counter security threats, including terrorism, and oversee the destruction of the Assad regime’s stockpiles of chemical weapons.
The British government has said it is also focused on supporting economic recovery in Syria, including the lifting of some sanctions to enable the delivery of humanitarian aid, while maintaining targeted measures against those responsible for past repression.
Falconer said the UK has allocated more than £62 million ($79.8 million) in additional humanitarian assistance since December to help provide essential aid such as food, healthcare and education through UN agencies and nongovernmental organizations.
“The humanitarian situation in Syria remains dire for millions of people,” he added. “Over 16 million are in need of assistance and we will continue to support those in need where it is safe to do so.”
Falconer reaffirmed Britain’s long-term commitment to Syrian stability: “This is a critical, fragile moment for Syria. The country faces significant challenges as it transitions after almost 14 years of conflict.
“Stability in Syria is firmly in our interests. The UK remains committed to the people of Syria and will continue to stand with them in building a more stable, free and prosperous future.”
Trump says pro-Palestinian campus protester ‘first arrest of many to come’
- Mahmoud Khalil was arrested by immigration officials over the weekend
- Trump threatened further action against other campus protesters, some of whom he alleged without evidence to be “paid agitators”
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Monday that the detention of a leader of pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University in New York is “the first arrest of many to come.”
“We know there are more students at Columbia and other Universities across the Country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, and the Trump Administration will not tolerate it,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Mahmoud Khalil, one of the most prominent faces of the university’s protest movement that erupted last year in opposition to Israel’s war in Gaza, was arrested by immigration officials over the weekend.
The Department of Homeland Security said the action was taken “in support of President Trump’s executive orders prohibiting anti-Semitism, and in coordination with the Department of State.”
Khalil, a Columbia graduate, held a permanent residency green card at the time of his arrest, according to the Student Workers of Columbia union.
Trump threatened in his post further action against other campus protesters, some of whom he alleged without evidence to be “paid agitators.”
“We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country — never to return again,” he wrote.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) condemned Khalil’s arrest, calling it “unprecedented, illegal, and un-American.”
“The government’s actions are obviously intended to intimidate and chill speech on one side of a public debate,” said Ben Wizner, director of the ACLU’s Speech, Privacy and Technology Project, in a statement.
The arrest also prompted an outcry from the United Nations, with the spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres saying Monday “it is crucial to underscore the importance of respecting the right of freedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly everywhere.”
US campuses including Columbia’s were rocked by student protests against Israel’s war in Gaza following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack. The demonstrations ignited accusations of anti-Semitism.
Protests — some of which turned violent and saw campus buildings occupied and lectures disrupted — pitted students protesting Israel’s conduct against pro-Israel campaigners, many of whom were Jewish.
Shakespeare’s Globe hosts Ramadan iftar, creating history, building bridges in London
- Nearly 500 people broke their fast in the rebuilt theater that embodies a 17th-century atmosphere
- Ramadan Tent Project charity organized the iftar event with a dedicated message of ‘turn strangers into friends’
LONDON: The Ramadan Tent Project has returned to one of London’s iconic landmarks, Shakespeare’s Globe, to host for the second time an iftar for nearly 500 people seated in a meticulously rebuilt 17th century theater.
For the past 12 years, the Ramadan Tent Project charity has organized iftar events with a dedicated message of “turn strangers into friends” at some of the UK’s most iconic and loved landmarks, including Trafalgar Square, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and Wembley Stadium.
This Ramadan, the RTP’s first iftar event last week welcomed 350 people into Windsor Castle, for the first time in the royal estate’s 1,000-year history, to break their fast in St George’s Hall, which traditionally hosted banquets for heads of state.
Every year, it seems we are creating new history, but at the same time, we are building new bridges, and that’s the most important thing
Omar Salha, founder of Ramadan Tent Project
In 2023, the RTP organized an open iftar at Shakespeare’s Globe for the first time. It was a different experience compared to this week’s event, as the organizers entertained the audience in the gallery from the creaky wooden thrust stage, which has an open roof, without the help of microphones. Since its launch in 1997, directors of the Globe have debated whether to cling to Elizabethan-era conditions or use modern technology.
Fortunately, microphones and spotlights were used during this week’s iftar. However, attendees and media were instructed to take close-up pictures of the interior to avoid capturing images from the “Macbeth” set, which is set to launch this week on March 13.
The long queue for the open iftar on the south bank of the River Thames attracted people from London and visitors from Scotland, Cambridge, Sheffield, and even a family from South Africa.
Omar Salha, the founder and CEO of Ramadan Tent Project, told Arab News that the most rewarding experience of putting the open iftars for over a decade is “seeing the smiles on people’s faces, the joy, the spirit and the energy in these events.”
He said the charity was grateful for its increasing support and the generosity of King Charles III, who opened his royal castle for British Muslims to host an iftar.
“Every year, it seems we are creating new history, but at the same time, we are building new bridges, and that’s the most important thing,” he added.
This open iftar is a moment of extending and reaching in friendship, connection, and community
Stella Kanu, CEO of Globe Theatre
Sajeda, one of the first in line, waited for the event to start outside the Globe’s unmistakable thatched roof, white plaster facade, and timber frames, looking at the River Thames. She told Arab News that she attended one of the RTP’s open iftars when they were small and organized in a park in central London.
“You didn’t have to register online then,” she said. “It is always a very enjoyable (iftar) because you see the multicultural aspect of it ... you can see Asians, white people, British and non-British and everyone, so it’s like a melting pot of multi-cultures.”
A blog post on the RTP’s website mentions that Shakespeare employed Muslim characters to challenge Elizabethan ideas of race and identity of his time, most notably through the character of Othello in a play carrying the protagonist’s name.
Stella Kanu, the CEO of Globe Theatre, told Arab News that she hopes the RTP’s iftar becomes a recurring event in the venue’s calendar.
“(This) open iftar (is) a moment of extending and reaching in friendship, connection, and community,” she said. “That’s everything about the Globe and what Ramadan is trying to encourage us to think about in those moments of introspection, prayer, and hope.”
The crowd enjoyed some poetry before the Maghreb call to prayer, marking the fasting day’s end. They waited nearly an hour for everyone to finish the Maghreb prayer, which took place in two groups before they were served a delicious meal of chicken or aubergine with chickpeas, pilau rice, and yogurt prepared by the restaurant Comptoir Libanais.
For a moment, everything seemed as though “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players.” People remained seated in the gallery while eating, gazing at the stage, a replica of the original damaged in fire in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, at a site 230 meters from the current Globe.
At the event, Rayyan and Ayaan, two brothers from London, told Arab News that breaking their fast with people from many different backgrounds and nationalities was “something really special.” Shakirah, an aspiring actress, said she will remember the RTP’s iftar for the community spirit, meeting new people, and bonding with family in a historical place like the Globe.
A home away from home: Saudi students enjoy special London iftar
- Annual ‘Ftoorna Yajmana’ Ramadan event aims to strengthen bonds among overseas Saudis
- ‘Seeing everyone smiling and sharing their food … it was amazing, ’ organizer tells
LONDON: Saudi students in London captured the spirit of Ramadan and forged friendships as part of a special iftar held in the first week of the holy month. The event was part of the “Ftoorna Yajmana” (Our Iftar Brings Us Together) initiative, organized by the Saudi Club in London in collaboration with UCL and Imperial student societies.
Held at Nunn Hall in the UCL’s IOE Building, the iftar welcomed a large group of students, scholars and community members, offering them the chance to break their fast in a warm and familiar setting. Students were encouraged to bring and share their own iftar meals, creating a true spirit of generosity and cultural exchange.
The gathering was more than just a meal; it was a space where students could experience the spirit of Ramadan despite being away from their families. Fozan Al-Farshouty, president of the Saudi Club in London, highlighted the importance of such events in strengthening bonds within the Saudi student community.
“As you can see from this beautiful gathering, I wanted to create a space where Saudi students could feel a sense of home, connect with each other and strengthen our community bonds while embracing our cultural traditions, especially in this holy month. We needed to reduce the homesickness and stay connected more with each other,” he said.
Attendees from various academic backgrounds shared their experiences, highlighting the significance of communal gatherings during Ramadan.
Dr. Rahaf Al-Shahrani, a DClinDent student at Queen Mary University, described how meaningful it was to spend iftar with fellow Saudis: “Being here surrounded with the other Saudis in London, it means a lot. It brings the spirit of being with the family and surrounded by people who share the same culture, the same fasting. So, yeah, it makes me feel really good.”
Abdulaziz Hussain, an events management and tourism student at the University of Westminster, said that the event offered an emotional and cultural connection to home.
“Having iftar in London is the closest thing to our homes. Being surrounded with fellow Saudi students, it means a lot to us and it keeps the spirit of unity and Ramadan going. It’s a nice thing and a good tradition; it happens every year,” he said.
Firas Al-Turki, an MBA student at UCL, said that the initiative captured the essence of Ramadan: “Such initiatives really make you feel like you’re at home. You see your fellow colleagues, your fellow Saudis, seeing familiar faces, praying together after iftar; doing all these things together in a crowd really brings us back to home and we get that Ramadan spirituality.”
Beyond the meal, the event became a celebration of culture and tradition. Amani Al-Shihri, vice-president of the Saudi Club in London, said that the gathering was about more than just food.
“As a Saudi student club in London, we arranged this event so we can get together, and it’s not just about the food; it’s about sharing our culture and keeping our religious ties strong, even when we’re studying abroad,” she said.
“Seeing everyone smiling and sharing their food and telling everyone ‘Oh, you have to try my dish!’— it was amazing.”
The evening featured a diverse spread of homemade Saudi and Middle Eastern dishes, along with international delicacies, reflecting the multicultural nature of the gathering. In addition to the iftar meal, attendees enjoyed board games, adding a fun and interactive element to the night.
The hall was beautifully decorated with Ramadan-themed decorations, creating a warm and festive ambiance. A large screen displayed videos and photos of Saudi Arabia and the holy city of Makkah, reminding attendees of home and the spiritual essence of Ramadan.
As the call to prayer marked the start of iftar, the hall was filled with an atmosphere of warmth, gratitude and unity. After the meal, the event fostered discussions on Ramadan traditions, academic journeys and ways to support one another in both personal and professional life.
With Ramadan now in full swing, the “Ftoorna Yajmana” initiative continues to serve as a bridge between students, offering them a meaningful space to celebrate, connect and embrace the essence of the holy month.
Man who scaled London’s ‘Big Ben’ clock tower appears in court
- Clutching a Palestinian flag, Daniel Day, 29, scaled 25 meters (82 feet) up the building, officially known as the Elizabeth Tower, at about 7:20 a.m. on Saturday
LONDON: A man who climbed part way up the ‘Big Ben’ clock tower at London’s Palace of Westminster early on Saturday and stayed there all day as part of a pro-Palestinian protest, appeared in court on Monday.
Clutching a Palestinian flag, Daniel Day, 29, scaled 25 meters (82 feet) up the building, officially known as the Elizabeth Tower, at about 7:20 a.m. on Saturday, remaining there for 16 hours until agreeing to come down, his lawyer and prosecutors told London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
He was subsequently charged by police with climbing and remaining on the tower which created “a risk or caused serious harm to the public,” and also trespassing on a protected site.
Prosecutors said Day’s actions had led to serious disruption in that area of central London with roads closed and buses diverted, and the cancelation of parliamentary tours had cost 25,000 pounds ($32,300).
Day’s lawyer said he would plead not guilty to the first charge, saying his action was designed to spread awareness regarding the situation in Gaza and Britain’s response to it.
The second charge of trespass requires the authorization of the attorney general, and so the case was adjourned until March 17 for a decision to be made.
Day, from a seaside town in eastern England, was remanded in custody, with his supporters clapping and shouting “Hero” and “Free Palestine” as he was led away.
Lindsay Hoyle, the speaker of parliament’s House of Commons, which is also located in the Palace of Westminster, said he had asked for a review of the incident.
