A 41-year-old Indian-origin man, Ankit Love, was arrested by London’s Metropolitan Police for allegedly smashing windows at the Pakistan High Commission in Kensington and Chelsea on April 27.

Charged with criminal damage, Love, who has no fixed address, was remanded in custody and appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday. The early-morning incident follows heightened tensions between Indian and Pakistani communities in the UK, sparked by the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people, mostly tourists.

The vandalism occurred days after a charged protest on April 25 outside the Pakistan High Commission, where Indian diaspora members condemned Pakistan’s alleged support for cross-border terrorism.

Also Read: J&K Stands Against Perpetrators of Pahalgam! Assembly Condemns Attack

Pakistani counter-protesters, supported by diplomatic staff, used loudspeakers to disrupt the demonstration, with one diplomat filmed making a throat-slitting gesture toward Indian protesters, escalating tensions. Pakistani media reported saffron-colored paint and eggs were thrown at the High Commission’s facade, with two arrests initially noted, though only Love’s arrest was confirmed by police.

Anti-terror vigils and protests continued across London, Manchester, and Belfast over the weekend, reflecting grief over the Pahalgam attack, attributed to Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba’s offshoot. A parallel demonstration on Sunday saw Indian groups rally at India’s High Commission, countering a smaller Pakistani protest decrying “Indian propaganda.”

India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar discussed the attack with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, emphasizing “zero tolerance for terrorism.” The incident underscores strained India-Pakistan ties, with India suspending the Indus Waters Treaty and both nations reducing diplomatic presence.

Also Read: J&K Stands Against Perpetrators of Pahalgam! Assembly Condemns Attack