A viral video from Harrow in London has sparked outrage online after it showed bright red paan spit stains on streets, pavements and outside local shops. And yes, many online users are blaming Indians for giving the city a “surprise desi makeover”.

 

Shared by the Instagram account ‘Harrow Online’, the video has already been viewed over 260,000 times. “Paan spitting is becoming a big problem in Harrow – with stains spreading from Rayners Lane to North Harrow. Residents are calling for more action,” read the caption.

 

 

Reports quoted locals as saying that the stains were mostly found outside stores and takeaways that sell paan or gutka – popular chewing tobacco products. While chewing gutka isn't banned in the United Kingdom (UK), spitting in public certainly isn’t encouraged. That, however, hasn’t stopped the streets from getting a bit of a desi paint job.

 

And the internet? It has been having a field day.

 

“Start checking teeth while giving Visa 😂”, wrote one user while another commented, “Vimal supremacy 🤣”. Others chimed in with comments like “Obviously Indians 😂” and, “THIS IS INDIA MAN SURE 😂”.

 

One even tried to calm the chaos with, “Just Indian things... chill”.

 

The video has sparked a wider debate, not just about spitting in public, but also about the cultural habits that travel with people. But for now, Harrow’s streets are wearing red, not for fashion, but thanks to some seriously passionate paan lovers.

 

It may be noted that the videos come as South Asian immigrants in general, and Indian immigrants in particular, face an undercurrent of hostility in the UK. A report by Minority Rights Group highlights how online hatred is pushing minorities — including South Asians — toward social marginalisation.

 

This manifests in increased vulnerability to religious hate, workplace discrimination and xenophobic street harassment.

 

While Britain’s Indian diaspora is often seen as economically successful and culturally integrated, they’re not immune to scapegoating — especially during political debates over immigration. Media portrayals sometimes fuel subtle biases, linking Indians with resource competition or cultural incompatibility.

 

The rise of far-right sentiments has also made social spaces more hostile.