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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Anthony France

Police called to disperse 30 masked men who stormed London cinema shouting ‘down with India’

Footage shows movie Emergency at Harrow's Vue Cinema being disrupted by masked men - (Rashmi Chaubey / Facebook)

Police had to disperse a group of 30 masked men who stormed the screening of a Bollywood film shouting “down with India” in west London.

Footage posted online shows the screening of Emergency at Vue Cinema Harrow being interrupted on Sunday night.

Customers who came to see the movie - dubbed “anti-Sikh” by critics – were left terrified as the group pushed themselves past staff members to gain entry to St George’s Shopping Centre.

Eyewitness Saloni Belaid told Metro: “It was really chaotic and scary.

“Ninety-five per cent of the audience cleared out while they were intimidating everyone whereas my friends and I stayed to confront them.

“This was masked men shouting in the dark – we didn’t what their intentions were. It was frightening.”

Ms Belaid said the activists were part of the Khalistan separatist movement which aims to create a homeland for Sikhs.

Demonstrations are also being held across the Midlands against Kangana Ranaut’s film which traces important events in former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s life.

Staff and customers attempt to bring calm to situation at Harrow's Vue (Rashmi Chaubey / Facebook)

Screenings were cancelled at rival Cineworld’s venues in Wolverhampton and Birmingham and it is banned in some countries, including Bangladesh.

Rashmi Chaubey, who posted the footage onto Facebook, said: “It’s a completely frightening and intimidating experience when men with masked faces and carrying a kirpan entered and blocked the exit in a dark theatre.

“They were finally able to shut the movie. Police could not do anything and said it is their right to protest.

“It marks a sad day where the right to protest was weaponised to suppress freedom of expression.”

The Sikh Press Association has labelled the movie “anti-Sikh propaganda”, saying in a statement: “It displays inaccurate information which maligns revered Sikh figures. Such content perpetuates anti-Sikh hate and Indian state stereotypes demonizing the community, which makes up approximately just two per cent of India.

“The theatres showing this nationalist propaganda are supporting something which poses a danger to Sikh communities today, justifying anti-Sikh hate, which is currently a major concern amid an uptake in India’s transnational violence.”

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “Police were called to a report of a group of around 30 people protesting at Vue Cinema, St George’s Shopping Centre, Harrow at approximately 8pm on Sunday, January 19.

“Officers attended and dispersed the group. No arrests were made.”

Vue were approached for comment.

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