Peel police say three men have been charged after a series of demonstrations in Brampton and Mississauga on Sunday erupted between groups of protesters, including outside a Hindu temple and a Sikh gurdwara. .
The defendants and the charges against them are as follows:
- A 23-year-old Brampton man has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon.
- A 31-year-old Mississauga man has been charged with mischief over $5,000.
- A 43-year-old Mississauga man has been charged with causing a disturbance and assaulting a peace officer.
Peel Police announced in a news release Monday that a fourth person was arrested and released on an unrelated outstanding warrant. According to the statement, one police officer also suffered minor injuries and was treated at a hospital.
The violence initially broke out at the Hindu Sabha Mandir temple in Brampton, where Indian consular officials were visiting. Police said officers were dispatched to the property around noon Sunday.
Videos circulating on social media show demonstrators holding banners supporting Khalistan, the Sikh religion’s independent stronghold in northern India, clashing with others, including some holding Indian flags. There is.
Various videos include fist fights and people hitting each other with sticks. CBC News verified the authenticity of two videos that captured the violence.
Later that day, protesters headed to Westwood Mall in neighboring Mississauga, according to Canada’s World Sikh Organization. A third protest was held a short time later outside the Marton Gurdwara, a Sikh place of worship on Airport Road in Mississauga.
Social media posts from the third event showed dozens of people gathered near the gurdwara, some waving Indian flags.
“These demonstrations occurred in three different locations but appear to be interconnected. Several incidents occurred between demonstrators and worshipers,” police said in a statement.
It was not clear from the release where the three arrests took place. All of the men charged are scheduled to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton at a later date.
Peel Police also confirmed Monday that one of its officers participated in a demonstration outside a Hindu temple while off-duty. The officer has been suspended while police further investigate his actions, a spokesperson said.
The violence drew condemnation from political leaders at all levels of the Canadian government, and prompted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to issue rare comments amid heightened diplomatic tensions between the two countries.
In a statement on his social media channels, Prime Minister Modi condemned the “deliberate attack” on the Hindu temple and said he expected Canadian authorities to uphold the rule of law. He added that any attempt to intimidate Indian diplomats in Canada is “equally appalling.”
I strongly condemn this deliberate attack on Hindu temples in Canada. Equally horrifying are the despicable attempts to intimidate our country’s diplomats. Such acts of violence will never weaken India’s resolve. We look to the Canadian government to ensure justice and uphold the rule of law.
Meanwhile, Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown said those responsible for the violence should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.
“Freedom of religion is a fundamental Canadian value. Everyone should feel safe in their places of worship,” he said.
Brown added that he will then table a motion with Brampton City Council exploring the possibility of banning protests outside of the city’s places of worship.
Mississauga Mayor Carolyn Parrish said in a statement that she was deeply disappointed by the violence and that hate speech and harassment “will not be tolerated in Mississauga or anywhere else.”
On Sunday night, Premier Doug Ford called the incident “unacceptable” in a post on X.
The violence that occurred at the Hindu Sabha Temple in Brampton this afternoon is completely unacceptable and must be condemned. No one should feel unsafe in their place of worship.
thank you @PeelPolice They responded quickly and helped keep our community safe.
Graham McGregor, Ontario’s acting minister of citizenship and multiculturalism, called reports of what happened at the temple “alarming.”
“Nobody likes to see that kind of violence and intimidation taking place outside a place of worship,” McGregor said.
Other politicians, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poièvre and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, issued similar accusations on social media.
Today’s violence at the Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton is unacceptable. All Canadians have the right to practice their religion freely and safely.
We would like to thank Peel Regional Police for their quick response to protect the community and investigate this incident.
All Canadians must be able to visit their places of worship freely and peacefully.
I unequivocally condemn the violence at Hindu Sabha Mandir.
Violence is wrong everywhere. I join local leaders in calling for peace.
It is completely unacceptable to see acts of violence targeting worshipers at Brampton’s Hindu Sabha Mandir today.
All Canadians should be free to practice their faith in peace. Conservatives have unequivocally condemned the violence. I will unite the people and end the chaos.
Relations between the governments of Canada and India have been strained over allegations of violence against Sikhs in Canada. Ottawa has accused India’s interior minister of being behind several attacks on Sikh activists in Canada. The Indian government denies the charges.
Liberal MP for Brampton West Kamal Khera spoke out about the violence between protesters outside Hindu temples and Sikh gurdwaras in Brampton and Mississauga on Sunday. Police have charged three men.
Sikhs for Justice said the Khalistan supporters were protesting an advance notice visit by Indian consulate officials to provide government services such as pension support for the elderly. .
Sikhs seeking justice claimed Hindu nationalists sparked the fighting and claimed Indian authorities were visiting religious sites to find informants to target Sikh separatists. .
The group has called for Indian consular staff to be prohibited from working outside diplomatic facilities, arguing that visits to external sites “directly jeopardize the safety and security of pro-Khalistan nationals in Canada.” There is.
The World Sikh Organization in Canada echoed this call.
“The systematic infiltration of Indian diplomats into Canadian society appears to be aimed at inciting conflict and must stop,” it said in an emailed statement. He called on Canadian authorities to take “robust action” against demonstrators who disrupted peaceful protests. .
India’s Ministry of External Affairs on Monday condemned the “extremist and separatist violence” at the temple and said it would continue its consular presence in Canada.
“The work of our consular staff, who serve Indian and Canadian citizens alike, will not be hampered by intimidation, harassment or violence,” ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement. He called for the prosecution of those who indulge in violence. Protect all places of worship.
The Indian High Commission in Ottawa also condemned the violence, saying it was unfortunate that the protests were taking place during “normal consular operations.” It added that plans for further visits to the temple will only materialize if appropriate safety measures are taken by local authorities.
By doing so, the safety of those involved, organizers, and participants will be ensured.
Liberal MP Chandra Arya accused “Canadian Khalistani extremists” of attacking Hindus, saying they were “getting a free pass in Canada.”
The clashes come amid rising tensions between Canada and India as Hindus celebrate Diwali.
Last month, Canada expelled six Indian diplomats for allegedly using their positions to collect information on Canadians participating in the Khalistan independence movement, passing those details on to criminal organizations and directly targeting those individuals. did.
India has long accused Canada of harboring pro-Khalistan terrorists, and New Delhi has asked Ottawa to extradite him, but Canadian officials say the request lacks sufficient evidence. He says that he often does this.
Tensions are not limited to Ontario.
On Friday, a British Columbia Supreme Court judge ordered the creation of a buffer zone around one of the province’s largest Sikh temples ahead of clashes between protesters and Indian consulate officials expected this weekend. I admitted it.
The request came from Sikh temple leaders, who said they expected “violent protests” at the two Indian consulate events, commonly known as “consular camps.”
