Canadian cities ‘ban protests in front of places of worship’ after Hindu temple attacks

Under the motion, city staff will explore “the feasibility of implementing a by-law that prohibits demonstrations within 100 metres, or within a reasonable distance, of a place of worship at the earliest possible time.” Brampton City Council approved a similar measure later the same day.

The motion, proposed by Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown, was unanimously passed by the council. Brown had previously expressed concerns over the rise in sectarian violence within the city.

The decision follows a troubling incident on November 3, when pro-Khalistan activists attacked the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton while protesting an Indian consular camp held at the temple. Counter-protests took place that night outside the Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sabha gurdwara in Malton, and a rally condemning the violence was held at the Hindu Sabha Mandir the next day.

Mississauga’s motion noted, “Such protests in front of places of worship, even when peaceful, can create an intimidating barrier that has to be passed in order to access the place of worship.”

In response to safety concerns, two temples in the GTA—the Brampton Triveni Mandir and the Toronto Kali Bari in Mississauga—announced on Monday they would be cancelling consular camps scheduled for the upcoming weekend. On Tuesday, Canadian authorities clarified there was no “direct threat” to places of worship in the GTA, although Indian consular camps were postponed to help ease tensions.