London: The Indian High Commission has strongly condemned the defacement of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue near Tavistock Square in London, where unidentified individuals scrawled anti-India graffiti just days before the October 2 Gandhi Jayanti celebrations. The act, occurring close to the annual observance, has been described as shameful and a violent attack on Gandhi’s legacy and principles of non-violence.
The High Commission noted that the incident, taking place two days ahead of Gandhi Jayanti and shortly before the International Day of Non-Violence, goes beyond mere destruction and constitutes an assault on the values Gandhi stood for. Authorities have been urged to take immediate action, and restoration work on the statue will be undertaken promptly to return it to its original state.
@HCI_London is deeply saddened and strongly condemns the shameful act of vandalism of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Tavistock Square in London. This is not just vandalism, but a violent attack on the idea of nonviolence, three days before the international day of nonviolence,…
— India in the UK (@HCI_London) September 29, 2025