Canadian authorities charged three men Monday following violent clashes at a Hindu temple near Toronto, where Sikh activists staged a pro-Khalistan demonstration that erupted into physical confrontations.
Police arrested a 43-year-old man for causing a disturbance and assaulting a peace officer, while a 23-year-old faces charges of assault with a weapon, and a 31-year-old is charged with mischief. Authorities also suspended an off-duty police officer spotted participating in the protest, pending investigation.
The incident drew swift condemnation from both Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. “I strongly condemn the deliberate attack on a Hindu temple in Canada,” Modi declared, while Trudeau termed the “acts of violence” unacceptable.
Video footage from the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton showed people wielding flagpoles as weapons during confrontations between Hindu and Sikh groups, though the exact trigger for the violence remains unclear. Sikh activists told Reuters they were protesting the presence of Indian diplomats, with demonstrators carrying yellow flags associated with the pro-Khalistan movement.
“The Hindu community in Canada is feeling that they are not being provided a safe place for the worship,” said Arunesh Giri, president of the Canadian Hindu Foundation, speaking to Agence France-Presse.
India’s foreign ministry called on Canadian authorities to “ensure that all places of worship are protected” and prosecute those responsible for the violence. The incident occurs against a backdrop of deteriorating diplomatic relations between India and Canada, following Canada’s expulsion of six Indian diplomats over the 2023 killing of a Sikh separatist leader on Canadian soil.
The tensions reflect deeper conflicts over the Khalistan movement, which seeks to establish a Sikh homeland in India’s Punjab state. Canada hosts the largest Sikh diaspora outside India, making it a focal point for pro-Khalistan activism.
The diplomatic rift widened after Canada accused India of targeting Sikh activists within its borders, allegations India dismissed as “absurd and baseless.” India responded to Canada’s diplomatic expulsions by removing six Canadian diplomats from its territory.
