Weapons seen at pro-India protest near Hindu temple in Brampton, Peel police say

Peel police issued a public safety alert Monday evening, warning of individuals carrying weapons at a demonstration near a Hindu temple in Brampton, where violent clashes between protesters had taken place the previous day.

Residents were advised to avoid the area on The Gore Road near Tyler Avenue, close to the Hindu Sabha Mandir temple, one of the sites where groups of protesters had clashed on Sunday. In an alert posted on X, police reported observing weapons in the crowds and deployed their public order unit to the area.

“This is now an unlawful assembly, and we will be clearing the area,” police stated, adding that public order officers were instructing demonstrators to disperse.

A CBC News photographer reported seeing a protester kicking a car that attempted to cross the intersection of Gore Road and Don Minaker Drive after the driver honked at the crowd. The demonstrators, some holding Indian national flags, had blocked traffic after marching from the temple.

Toronto police confirmed late Monday that they were also assisting Peel police at the scene.

This demonstration took place hours after police announced charges against three men following violent altercations between groups of protesters at various demonstrations in Brampton and Mississauga the day before. The first clash occurred outside the Hindu Sabha Mandir temple while Indian consular officials were present, followed by additional violence outside the Malton gurdwara as a group, some waving Indian flags, marched towards the Sikh place of worship.

Videos from outside the temple showed protesters carrying banners in support of Khalistan, an envisioned independent Sikh homeland in northern India, clashing with Hindu worshippers.

Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown told CBC Radio’s Metro Morning that some individuals at Monday’s demonstration seemed intent on “inciting violence and hatred.”

"But what I've been saying is everyone needs to de-escalate. I know tensions are high right now, but the starting point is we don’t need to have protests at places of worship," he said.

Brown mentioned that Peel police had informed him that demonstrators attempted to head toward a nearby Sikh gurdwara but were redirected by police.

“There is the right to protest, but it doesn’t need to be in the vicinity of a place of worship. Everyone has the right to go to their place of worship to pray, free of harassment, intimidation, and violence. And that basic right has been broken in the last few days, unfortunately,” he said, referencing recent incidents in Peel Region and outside a Hindu temple in Surrey, B.C.

Brown has expressed plans to propose a city council motion that would explore restricting demonstrations outside places of worship.

"I worry this is going to escalate if we don’t clearly establish a line that cannot be crossed,” he said in conversation with host David Common.

Brown noted that the City of Vaughan has a similar ordinance, which has not yet faced constitutional challenges.

"My hope is we’re going to pass this bylaw. If someone wants to challenge it in the courts, they can. But I believe it’s necessary to protect a core value in our country, which is religious freedom," he said.

The recent conflicts in Peel and B.C. come amid heightened diplomatic tensions between Canada and India over allegations of violence against Canadian Sikhs. Ottawa has accused India’s home minister of involvement in attacks on Sikh activists in Canada, an accusation the Indian government denies.

Last month, Canada expelled six Indian diplomats, alleging they had used their positions to gather information on pro-Khalistan activists in Canada and passed it on to criminal gangs who then targeted the individuals.

India has accused Canada of sheltering pro-Khalistan extremists whom New Delhi has sought to extradite, though Canadian officials maintain that these requests often lack sufficient evidence.