London Mayor Sadiq Khan appealed to the Hindu and Muslim communities to "not allow the politics of the sub-continent (India and Pakistan) to spill over" into the UK. This comes after two incidents between the communities triggered by altercations over an Asia Cup cricket match.
In a Twitter thread, Sadiq Khan urged against letting "current or past tensions, and the wider politics of the region, be used as a pretext to ... stir up trouble on our streets". He said that "British Muslims and British Hindus should always be allies, not adversaries."
He condemned the "violence, harassment and intimidation" seen over the last few days in Leicester and more recently in Smethwick, videos of which have gone viral.
According to the BBC, about 100 people gathered outside the Durga Bhawan Temple in Smethwick on Tuesday evening.
Sandwell Police said that there was a pre-planned police presence near the temple where the protest gathering took place. "Fireworks and missiles were thrown towards some of our officers. Thankfully no-one was injured," they said.
Police added that an 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possessing a knife and was in custody for questioning.
"We should be eternally on our guard against extremist forces who seek to stoke up tensions between our communities for their own selfish ends ... Everyone in the UK and around the world should have the right to live in peace and to practice their religion without fear or threats," the Mayor of London further said.
Police said that to prevent an outbreak of violence, stop and search powers have been put in place "until this morning".
"We are continuing to provide a visible police presence, working closely with faith leaders and partners across the community to provide reassurance," they said.
