A Hindu festival attended by around 1,000 people in Harrow was violently disrupted last week when a group of up to 20 youths descended on the celebration, throwing glass bottles and beer cans before fleeing as police arrived — with only one arrest made in the aftermath.
The incident took place on the evening of 3 March outside the Harrow Civic Centre on Station Road, where the International Siddhashram Shakti Centre had organised its annual Holi celebration. The event had been running peacefully when, just after 8.30pm, three teenagers arrived and switched off the sound system before throwing the speakers to the ground and leaving.
Shri Rajrajeshwar Guruji, founder of the ISSC, described what happened next. “Five minutes later they returned with 15 to 20 boys, some in balaclavas,” he said. “They threw beer cans into the fire, threw glass bottles and hurled barriers on the ground. The Sikh security guard went over and they tried to harm him as well. They wanted to fight and we were trying to defend ourselves. It got out of control so we called the police.”
The group fled when they heard police sirens approaching. One youth was chased down and detained by worshippers at the scene before being handed to officers. The Metropolitan Police confirmed a 14-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of affray shortly after 9pm. The force’s statement said no injuries were reported.
Conservative MP for Harrow East Bob Blackman said he was “appalled” by the incident and raised it in the House of Commons, where he warned that “community tensions are rising” and called on politicians to “cool things down.” He also raised serious concerns over the Metropolitan Police’s response, pointing to the significant disparity between the number of individuals involved and the single arrest made. “Despite up to 20 attackers being present, only one arrest has been made,” he said, adding that the official police statement “contradicts the accounts of organisers, victims, and every eyewitness on the ground.”
Blackman also called on the Met to confirm that a full investigation was underway to bring all those responsible to justice. Harrow councillor Susan Hall echoed the criticism, describing the Hindu community in the borough as “peace loving gentle folk” and expressing outrage at the attack on the celebrations.
The Metropolitan Police has not issued any further statement beyond confirming the single arrest. Whether additional suspects will be identified and charged as part of an ongoing investigation remains to be confirmed by the force.
