Canada Temple Attack: Police Officer Suspended

OTTAWA (ANI) – A Peel Regional Police officer has been suspended after being identified in videos from a protest at the Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton on November 3, CBC News reported. The officer in question, Sergeant Harinder Sohi, is an 18-year veteran of the force. Following his suspension, Sohi has received death threats on social media, prompting the Peel Regional Police Association to offer assistance and protection. Currently, Sohi does not face any allegations of wrongdoing.

Richard Chin, a spokesperson for Peel Police, stated that they are aware of a video circulating on social media that shows an off-duty officer participating in the protest. “This officer has since been suspended in accordance with the Community Safety and Policing Act. We are investigating the circumstances depicted in the video and cannot provide further information until this investigation is complete,” Chin said.

In response to the protests, the Peel Regional Police announced they would deploy officers to ensure “peaceful and lawful” demonstrations. In a post on X, the police stated, “Officers will be deployed to ensure peace and lawfulness at planned demonstrations. Violence and other criminal acts have no place in our community.”

Additionally, Peel Regional Police reported that four individuals were arrested in connection with the protests in Brampton and Mississauga, including 43-year-old Dilpreet Singh Bouns, 23-year-old Vikas, and 31-year-old Amritpal Singh.

On November 3, 2024, at approximately noon, officers responded to a trespassing complaint at a place of worship in Brampton, leading to a demonstration around Goreway Drive and Etude Drive in Mississauga. A third protest occurred shortly after at another worship location near Airport Road and Drew Road in Mississauga. Although these demonstrations were held at different locations, they appeared to be related, with several incidents reported between protesters and worshippers.

The police detailed the charges against those arrested: Dilpreet Singh Bouns was charged with causing a disturbance and assaulting a peace officer; Vikas was charged with assault with a weapon; and Amritpal Singh was charged with mischief over USD 5,000. All three men are scheduled to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton at a later date.

Earlier that day, an Indian consular camp at the Hindu Sabha Temple in Brampton experienced a “violent disruption.” Following the incident, the Hindu Canadian Foundation, a non-profit organization representing the Hindu community in Canada, released a video of the attack, alleging that Khalistani extremists targeted children and women. The Indian High Commission in Canada condemned the “violent disruption” by anti-India elements outside the consular camp and stated that any future events would depend on security arrangements made by local authorities.