Three people were arrested in Surrey, B.C., on Sunday after “a conflict ensued” outside a Hindu temple, according to RCMP.
Officers were at the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir temple, where Indian consular officials were present, to maintain public safety, police said.
“Hundreds of protesters with opposing views arrived and began demonstrating,” according to police, adding that “violence broke out between groups.”
Video captured by CBC News at the scene showed multiple police officers attempting to handcuff a man who was lying down on the ground. Officers then carried him to a police car.
Video captured by CBC News shows a man being arrested by police officers outside the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir temple. Three people in total were arrested after protests erupted Sunday, according to Surrey RCMP.
All three people arrested have since been released while investigators with Surrey RCMP’s general investigation unit complete their investigation, police said.
During the demonstrations, people could be seen holding flags in support of Khalistan, a proposed independent Sikh homeland in northern India.
Across the road, other people could be seen holding India’s national flag.
Charges in Ontario
The arrests follow three separate detainments in Ontario related to similar protests that have been widely condemned by political leaders at all levels of government.
Peel Regional Police say three men have been charged after violence erupted between groups of protesters at a series of demonstrations in Brampton and Mississauga on Sunday, including outside a Hindu temple and a Sikh gurdwara.
They include:
- A 23-year-old man from Brampton charged with assault with a weapon.
- A 31-year-old man from Mississauga charged with mischief over $5,000.
- A 43-year-old man from Mississauga charged with causing a disturbance and assaulting a peace officer.
Videos circulating on social media appear to show fist fights and people striking each other with poles on what appears to be the grounds of the Hindu Sabha Mandir temple in Brampton.
Some demonstrators are seen with Khalistan flags while others hold India’s national flag.
CBC News has verified the authenticity of two videos that captured the violence.
India’s PM responds
The violence in Ontario prompted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to issue a rare comment at a time of escalating diplomatic tensions between his country and Canada.
In a statement on his social media channels, Modi condemned the “deliberate attack” at the Hindu temple and said he expects Canadian authorities to uphold rule of law. He added that any attempts to intimidate Indian diplomats in Canada were “equally appalling.”
I strongly condemn the deliberate attack on a Hindu temple in Canada. Equally appalling are the cowardly attempts to intimidate our diplomats. Such acts of violence will never weaken India’s resolve. We expect the Canadian government to ensure justice and uphold the rule of law.
—@narendramodi