A statue of Mahatma Gandhi outside the Indian Embassy in Washington DC was desecrated by unruly elements involved in the ongoing protests in the United States over the death of George Floyd.
Sources told ANI that the US police has launched an investigation into the matter. The statue has now been covered up.
Reacting to the incident, Ken Juster, US Ambassador to India apologised.
“So sorry to see the desecration of the Gandhi statue in Washington, DC. Please accept our sincere apologies,” Juster said.
Violent protests have been raging across the United States including Washington DC after George Floyd, an African-American died last week on account of police brutality in Minneapolis.
At least five people have died across the country and several have been injured in the protests that have led to property damage in several states. President Donald Trump has threatened military action against violent agitators.
Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis Police Department officer who knelt on Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes, has been charged with third-degree murder.
US prosecutors on Thursday announced new charges against all the four sacked Minneapolis police officers who were present while Floyd died in custody.
The four former officers arrested Floyd after a nearby shop owner called police, saying a man had used a counterfeit $20 dollar to purchase cigarettes.
Chauvin kept his knee down on Floyd's neck even after the latter lost consciousness, according to a document released by prosecutors.
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