"I hate you Harman Kapoor, I hate you so much."
Protesters gathered outside Harman Singh Kapoor’s restaurant, with hundreds calling for its closure.
The demonstration was held outside Singh’s Dining on Fulham Palace Road in Hammersmith, with the owner facing ongoing criticism for his social media comments about Muslims, halal meat and the destruction in Gaza.
Hundreds of activists gathered outside the premises on November 13 to voice their opposition to Kapoor, with private security hired for the demonstration.
Kapoor was not at the restaurant, although his wife and daughter were present as protesters called for the business to close.
Kapoor had become a controversial figure for repeatedly emphasising that his restaurant served non-halal food, alongside social media posts and remarks that had been criticised as derogatory towards Muslims.
His comments about Palestinians and the situation in Gaza had also attracted condemnation, prompting calls for a boycott of Singh’s Dining.
Critics argued that his repeated attacks on halal meat and Muslims were an attempt to appeal to non-Muslim customers.
However, they believed the approach had backfired, with members of different communities recognising what they described as a divisive agenda.
During the demonstration, one Sikh protester challenged Kapoor over his use of Sikh identity and the restaurant’s name.
The protester said: “Don’t lie about your identity and infiltrate yourself in Sikh communities.”
He went on to distinguish between outward appearance and the values associated with Sikhism.
Thanking everyone for maintaining a peaceful atmosphere, the protester added:
“God bless everybody for coming here today. Thank you for keeping the peace. Thank you for not arguing and not fighting.”
A woman attending the demonstration also spoke about the anger felt by members of the Muslim and Pakistani communities over Kapoor’s remarks.
She began: “I hate you Harman Kapoor, I hate you so much.”
The woman continued: “We are Pakistani and Muslim. We never talk about anyone’s religion. So we cannot tolerate anyone about our religion.
“He talked about the Palestinians. He talked about the believers. About Pakistanis.”
The woman also acknowledged the right to freedom of expression, saying: “Freedom of speech.”
The demonstration came amid growing scrutiny of Harman Singh Kapoor’s online activity and the impact it had had on his restaurant’s reputation.
Kapoor had publicly appealed for support to keep Singh’s Dining open, claiming the business was struggling financially and facing outstanding rent and threatened legal proceedings from his landlord.
He had also alleged that one-star Google reviews had damaged the restaurant.
A subsequent video, filmed on November 14, showed Kapoor speaking to police officers and getting into their vehicle.
It is reported that he travelled to the police station to make a statement.
The protest brought together people from different faith and community backgrounds, with demonstrators calling for accountability over comments they believed had contributed to hostility between religious and ethnic groups.
