Police and Protesters Clash in Canada Over Attack on Hindu Temple

Ottawa: Canadian police were involved in a violent confrontation with Hindu devotees who were protesting an attack on a temple near Toronto, allegedly carried out by “anti-India elements.” A video shared by a Canadian journalist captured the chaos, showing officers assaulting temple-goers, many of whom were waving the Indian flag. The footage also depicted a police officer charging at a protester and delivering multiple punches.

The journalist reported that the police targeted the Hindu devotees to protect “Khalistani” individuals who had come to harass them during Diwali celebrations. A woman filming the incident could be heard saying, “He is hitting with a stick,” as she pointed to an officer allegedly assaulting the protesters. The crowd responded with shouts of “take him out.”

Earlier that day, a mob had stormed the Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton, attacking devotees. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the violence, stating on X, “The acts of violence at the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton today are unacceptable. Every Canadian has the right to practice their faith freely and safely.”

The Indian embassy in Canada issued a statement alleging that “anti-India elements” orchestrated the violence outside its consular camp, which was co-organized by the temple. Expressing disappointment, the embassy noted that there had been similar attempts to disrupt events in Surrey and Vancouver over the preceding days.

These incidents occur amid rising diplomatic tensions between India and Canada, which were sparked by Trudeau’s accusation that India was involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India dismissed the claims as baseless and accused Canada of harboring terrorists and extremists.