India-Canada relations: a demonstration turns sour in Brampton | Tensions between India and Canada

A protest outside a Hindu temple in Brampton, Ontario, escalated Sunday afternoon.

Videos showing acts of violence in front of the Hindu Sabha temple were posted on social media. We see demonstrators in the street in front of the temple brandishing Khalistan flags.

Then, the gates on the fence opening onto the parking lot open. Some of the demonstrators physically attack the people there.

Other videos also show the presence of counter-protesters, who brandish Indian flags.

- was unable to verify the authenticity of these images.

Peel region police officers responded in a press release.

Although we respect the individual right to protest in accordance with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, our duty and responsibility remains to maintain public order and ensure the safety of all. […] Any act of violence, threat of violence or vandalism will be investigatedcan we read on their official account on X.

The police confirmed in the evening that there had been no arrests yet. A Peel police spokesperson declined to provide further comment.

Strong reactions

Sunday’s events did not fail to provoke reactions from politicians of all stripes across the country.

The leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, Pierre Poilievre, published his comments on X.

It is completely unacceptable to see acts of violence targeting worshipers at the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton todayhe declared.

All Canadians should be free to practice their faith in peace. Conservatives unequivocally condemn this violence. I will unite our people and end the chaos.

Liberal Party of Canada MP Chandra Arya expressed his displeasure on the same platform.

The Khalistani attack on Hindu-Canadian worshipers at the Hindu Sabha temple premises in Brampton shows how deep and brazen Khalistani violent extremism has become in Canada. […] As I have said for a long time, Canadians of Hindu origin, for the safety of our community, must mobilize and assert their rights and hold politicians accountablehe said.

The leader of the New Democratic Party, Jagmeet Singh, also published his comments on X.

Every Canadian must be free to go to their place of worship in peace. I unequivocally condemn the acts of violence perpetrated at the Hindu Sabha Mandirwe can read there.

Violence, anywhere, is unacceptable. I join community leaders in calling for peace.

Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown, for his part, said he was saddened by the turn of events. I am disappointed to learn of acts of violence outside the Hindu Sabha in Brampton. Religious freedom is a fundamental value in Canada. Everyone should feel safe in their place of worship. I strongly condemn any act of violence outside a place of worship.

Later in the evening, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ontario Prime Minister Doug Ford also condemned these acts of violence.

Tensions that do not date from yesterday

The management of the Hindu Sabha temple had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.

The city of Brampton is a major hub of South Asian diversity in Canada, with more than 380,000 residents (or approximately 58% of its population of 650,165) having origins in the Indian subcontinent, according to the 2021 census from Statistics Canada. 25% of the population of this city in the northern suburbs of Toronto is of the Sikh faith and 18% is of the Hindu faith, again according to the census.

November 3, 2024 marks the 40th anniversary of the deadly anti-Sikh riots in India, violence which followed the assassination of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards in 1984. There were between 3,000 and 8,000 deaths during the riots. riots.

The Khalistan independence movement campaigns for the creation of an independent Sikh state in the Punjab region.