Police lined up outside Singh’s Dining in Hammersmith on Friday night. Owner Harman Singh Kapoor says his family has received death threats, and he was arrested hours before the demonstration.
Hundreds of people gathered outside Singh’s Dining in Hammersmith, west London, on Friday night to call for the restaurant to close because it does not sell halal food. Metropolitan Police officers formed a line to hold the crowd back. The owner, Harman Singh Kapoor, who is Sikh, says he and his family have faced harassment, intimidation and hundreds of death threats. He was arrested at his home a few hours before the protest, leaving his wife, Khushi, to face the crowd outside the restaurant.
The protest
The restaurant, formerly known as Rangrez, drew a large and mostly male crowd. Protesters waved Palestinian flags and could be heard shouting “Shame on you” and “Free Palestine”. In one clip circulating on social media, a man with a microphone leads the crowd in calls to “shut them down”.
A sign daubed in marker on the shopfront reads: “Proudly we don’t sell Halal.”
Behind the police line stood private security guards, reportedly hired by the actor John Cleese, who has previously spoken in support of the restaurant. Footage shows Mrs Kapoor holding a sign to the window that reads: “John Cleese is paying to defend this restaurant – because Met Police won’t.” In a separate video she said: “Thank you John Cleese, thank you for supporting us, thank you for sending security.”
The owner’s arrest
Mr Kapoor confirmed his arrest on social media, posting a video that showed him with police officers before he was put into a police car. The arrest is believed to relate to a post referencing Islam.
“For days, I have been desperately asking the Metropolitan Police for help, protection and assurances regarding the safety of my family and our business,” he wrote. “Despite repeatedly contacting the Met Police and raising serious concerns, I was arrested at my own home this morning and am now in police custody.”
He added: “What makes this situation even more frightening is that I am in handcuffs while my family is left outside, facing serious safety concerns on the day of the planned protest. This protest is not simply about our business selling non-halal food. It is also about the harassment, intimidation and threats of violence that my family and I say we have been experiencing.”
“We have been asking for protection because we fear for our family’s safety,” he said. “We want to live peacefully, run our business and exercise our rights without fear of being targeted, harassed or harmed. No family should have to live in fear. No one should face intimidation or threats because of the food their business chooses to sell. We are asking for safety, justice, equality and the right to live and work peacefully. Our family’s safety must come first.”
Claims and criticism
Mr Kapoor says his business has suffered financially amid calls to boycott it, and that he has asked the Met for help but has so far received no extra protection. He has also said eggs have been thrown at the restaurant’s windows on several occasions and has referred to threats from “Islamists”.
Critics argue that he has made remarks on social media about Muslims, halal meat and the conflict in Gaza. They point to posts showing him holding strips of bacon with the caption “Behold. Bacon can save Western countries”, and a video of a meat counter captioned “Top quality pork on sale at Harrods”.
The restaurant is a short walk from Hammersmith Grove, home to the actor Ralph Fiennes and the comedian Bill Bailey.
