London-based restaurateur Harman Singh Kapoor has announced plans to take legal action against the Metropolitan Police and London Mayor Sadiq Khan after he was released from custody following an arrest linked to ongoing tensions surrounding his non-halal restaurant.Kapoor, a Sikh businessman who runs Rangrez restaurant in London’s Hammersmith district, wrote in a post on X that he spent nearly 24 hours in custody after what he described as an “unlawful arrest.”“I was released after a stressful 24 hours in custody following an unlawful arrest, and went straight back to work because my family still depends on me,” Kapoor wrote.
He claimed he faced “continued unfair and discriminatory treatment” and said he intended to take legal action against both the Metropolitan Police and the Mayor of London.Kapoor also appealed to his supporters to support his restaurant directly instead of donating money online.“I don’t want a GoFundMe or handouts. I want to earn it,” he wrote.“If you want to support me, come for dinner at Rangrez, a non-halal Indian restaurant in Hammersmith. Support through the community, not charity.”His wife also defended him in a separate post on X, accusing the authorities of repeatedly targeting the restaurant owner.
“This moron @metpoliceuk and @MayorofLondon are afraid of my husband @kingkapoor72 because he wanted to change London and make it habitable,” she wrote.“As a result, he is repeatedly and illegally arrested.”
Kapoor has been at the center of controversy in recent months after publicly promoting Rangrez as a non-halal restaurant.The businessman said the decision was linked to his Sikh religion, which traditionally allows jhatka meat while banning halal slaughter practices for religious reasons.Rangrez, located on Fulham Palace Road in west London, had been in business for about 16 years before Kapoor said he was considering closing after months of disputes, backlash and online protests.According to Kapoor, the restaurant became a target of harassment after signs reading “We proudly do not sell halal” were displayed in the building.The situation escalated in March after Kapoor promoted a “non-halal encounter” at the restaurant on social media, encouraging supporters to gather outside the venue and record any disturbances.
