Hindu organisations in Canada have expressed concern over pro-Khalistan demonstrations scheduled outside two temples on Sunday, warning of possible disruption and intimidation for worshippers.
The India-banned extremist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) has announced “Khalistan Zindabad” rallies outside Triveni Mandir in Brampton, Ontario, and Lakshmi Narayan Mandir in Surrey, British Columbia.
Hindu advocacy bodies have called on police to provide additional security.
The Hindu Canadian Foundation (HCF) said targeting temples because of the community’s “ancient roots to India or indigenous cultural identity is xenophobia and Hinduphobia, plain and simple”.
In a joint statement backed by more than 30 organisations, it warned that previous protests framed as peaceful had “led to harassment, intimidation, and violence against Hindu Canadians, devotees, and temple management”.
The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) also criticised the planned rallies, citing past incidents it said involved assaults on devotees and disruptions at places of worship.
CoHNA said demonstrations at temple entrances had included “loud and abusive” behaviour, alongside “violent imagery, glorification of terrorism and verbal harassment”.
Describing the protests as “religious bigotry and targeted harassment that masquerades as ‘freedom of speech’”, CoHNA emphasised that the HCF was entitled to express its position on the Khalistan movement “without fear of bullying and physical harassment”.
Some Hindu groups also said their confidence in Peel Regional Police was being tested, citing what they described as the service’s difficulty in preventing incidents involving pro-Khalistan activists at temples.
Peel Regional Police said they were aware of the planned demonstrations and would maintain a presence to ensure public safety. The service said it supports lawful and peaceful assembly and is working with organisers to keep the events safe, adding that “unlawful acts and criminal behaviour will not be tolerated” and that “hate has no place here”.
Authorities in Brampton have enacted a bylaw establishing a 100-metre safety zone around temples during protests, a measure welcomed by CoHNA. The group has called on Surrey authorities to adopt similar safeguards.
The concerns follow earlier incidents linked to pro-Khalistan demonstrations. In November 2024, protests outside a Hindu temple in the Greater Toronto Area escalated into violence.
A Peel Regional Police officer, who took part in one such protest, was later found guilty of misconduct and demoted for six months. A disciplinary ruling said the officer’s participation “undermined public trust and raised concerns about police impartiality”.
Hindu community groups say these past events have heightened worries about security at religious sites, with Sunday’s demonstrations likely to test the balance between freedom of expression and the right to worship without fear.
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