Temple Vandalised With ‘Hate-Motivated Graffiti’ In Canada’s Windsor; 5th Incident So Far

This is the fifth such incident where a temple has been defaced with such graffiti since July last year. The country has reported a 72 per cent increase in hate crimes targeting religion, sexual orientation and race in Canada between 2019 and 2021.

Windsor: In yet another incident of hate crime, a Hindu temple- BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in the town of Windsor in Ontario province – was vandalised with anti-India graffiti on the exterior wall of the temple building. “On April 5, 2023, officers were dispatched to a Hindu temple in the 1700 block of Northway Avenue following a report of hate-motivated vandalism. Officers discovered anti-Hindu and anti-India graffiti sprayed in black on an exterior wall of the building,” Windsor Police said in the statement.

The report said that slogans against India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were written in black on the wall of the building.

Police obtained a video showing two suspects in the area at around 12 am. In the video, one suspect is seen painting the wall, while the other keeps watch from the sidewalk.

“At the time of the incident, one suspect wore a black sweater, black pants with a small white logo on the left leg, and black and white high-top running shoes. The second suspect wore black pants, a sweatshirt black shoes, and white socks,” the police further said.

WINDSOR POLICE NEWS RELEASE
Two suspects wanted for hate-motivated graffitihttps://t.co/yOvlYU4ykn@CStoppers with information pic.twitter.com/5bT4ukynSq

— Windsor Police (@WindsorPolice) April 5, 2023

This is the fifth such incident where a temple has been defaced with such graffiti since July last year.

Earlier in February, the Ram Mandir in Canada’s Mississauga was vandalised with anti-India graffiti. The Consulate General of India in Toronto condemned the defacing of the Mandir and requested Canadian authorities to investigate the incident and take prompt action against the perpetrators.

In January, a Hindu temple in Brampton was defaced with anti-India graffiti triggering outrage among the Indian community.

Statistics Canada, the country’s national statistical office, has reported a 72 per cent increase in hate crimes targeting religion, sexual orientation and race in Canada between 2019 and 2021.

Indian officials have repeatedly raised the issue of attacks on the Indian community by pro-Khalistani elements in Canada.