CoHNA Hosts Safety Forum With California Police After Temple Attacks

India-West News Desk

SAN JOSE, CA- Following four reported temple attacks in California, members of the Hindu community met with local law enforcement officials at a community safety event organized by the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) at the Shreemaya Krishnadham Mandir, here.

The event, titled “Suraksha,” brought together representatives from the San Jose Police Department and the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office to discuss hate crime reporting, community safety resources, and the legal process surrounding bias-related incidents.

Senior San Jose Police Department officers, Lieutenant Anthony Kilmer and Sergeant Kassey Padia, explained how hate crimes and hate-motivated incidents are defined and investigated. Officers said hate crimes involve criminal acts motivated by bias, while hate-motivated incidents may not meet the legal threshold of a crime but are still documented by police.

The officers encouraged attendees to report incidents and said reporting helps law enforcement identify patterns, allocate resources, and support prevention efforts. Participants were also informed about emergency and non-emergency reporting procedures.

Representatives from the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, including Chief Trial Deputy Daniel Okonkwo and Supervising Deputy District Attorney Adam Flores, outlined how cases move from police investigation to prosecution and discussed victim assistance resources available through the District Attorney’s Victim Services Unit and the California Victim Compensation Board.

Referring to Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen’s message that “hate has no home here,” prosecutors said hate crimes affect broader communities in addition to individual victims.

Pushpita Prasad, CoHNA’s chief communications officer, spoke about concerns raised within the Hindu community, including the rise in anti-Hindu hate online and in person, the recent Hinduphobic assault on a San Jose State University student, and misunderstandings surrounding the use of the swastika, which is considered sacred in Hinduism.

SJPD officials also addressed concerns related to language access and immigration status, stating that multilingual officers and translation services are available and that immigration status does not affect access to police assistance.

“What stood out to me was the emphasis on reporting, even when incidents may seem minor,” Nabeena, a San Jose resident who attended the event, said in a statement. “Hearing directly from law enforcement and the District Attorney’s Office helped clarify the process, made these systems feel more accessible, and underscored how reporting helps authorities identify patterns and allocate resources before situations escalate.”

Manan Rawal, director of CoHNA’s Bay Area chapter, said engagement between law enforcement and the community was important for improving awareness around reporting procedures and community concerns.

“Ensuring that our community understands how to report incidents, and that law enforcement understands Hindu community concerns, is an essential step toward building trust and improving safety outcomes,” Rawal said in a statement.

The event was part of CoHNA’s “Suraksha” initiative, which has organized similar community safety programs in cities across the United States and Canada, including New York City, Edina, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal.