Indian man charged for vandalising Pakistan High Commission in London

LONDON: An Indian-origin British-Kashmiri Ankit Love has been formally charged with criminal damage following an incident at the Pakistani High Commission in London, the Metropolitan Police confirmed.

According to a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police, Love, 41, with no fixed address, was formally charged on Sunday, April 27. "He was remanded in custody to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Monday, 28 April," the spokesperson said in a statement.

The charges relate to the attack on the Pakistan High Commission that occurred at approximately 05:00pm on Sunday, when police were called to Lowndes Square, Kensington and Chelsea, to respond to reports of a man allegedly smashing the windows of the Pakistani High Commission. A few hours ago on Friday evening, around 300 Indians protested at the Pakistan High Commission. Two Indian men were arrested from the spot for racially abusing the police.

CCTV footage showed how Ankit attacked the Pakistan High Commission and smashed several windows and doors, causing criminal damage.

The Times of India reported that the suspect is of Indian origin, linking him to previous minor public disorder incidents.

According to Indian sources, Ankit Love is of Kashmiri origin, from the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) side and calls himself a musician. In 2016, he set up his One Love party and stood against Sadiq Khan and Zac Goldsmith to become the Mayor of London.

"The One Love party aims to convey a universal message of unity and peace for all mankind," he had said, in reference to his campaign message at the time.

In 2015, he declared himself the maharaja of the Dogra dynasty of Jammu and Kashmir as the son of Bhim Singh, former president of the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party.

His LinkedIn profile refers to him as "HH the Emperor (Maharaja), Sovereign State of Jammu and Kashmir".

His party said that it would prioritise reducing air pollution in London and promote the use of driverless electric cars. Love described himself as a music artist, filmmaker and designer, as the founder of Ankit Love Productions. His single, 'Spill the Milky Way', was released in 2014 but made no impact.

When launching his party, Love called on the British military personnel to “oust the failed regime and replace the prime minister with him as the senior Minister of the Crown, so he can dictate the needed legislation”.

He publicly declared in 2016 that he was in debt of around £30,000.

As tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi rise in the wake of the Pahalgam attack, Pakistani and Indian diaspora protesters came face to face and staged protests outside the missions of both countries in central London, over the weekend.