Vancouver Gurudwara Defaced With Pro-Khalistan Graffiti, Canadian MP Says Extremists 'Backed By Political Clout'

Last Updated:April 21, 2025, 07:13 IST

A Vancouver gurudwara was vandalised with pro-Khalistan graffiti. The incident is under police investigation, with community leaders condemning the act as divisive and extremist.

A Vancouver gurudwara vandalised by pro-Khalistani grafitti (Video screengrabs/X:@chcconline)

A gurudwara in Canada’s Vancouver was defaced with pro-Khalistan graffiti. The incident happened on Saturday at the Ross Street Gurdwara, and was condemned by Canadian organisations and MP Chandra Arya, who called the extremists “well-funded, and backed by significant political clout".

According to a statement by a leaders of the Khalsa Diwan Society Gurdwara, the act was allegedly committed by “small group of Sikh Separatists advocating for Khalistan".

“A small group of Sikh Separatists advocating for Khalistan defaces our sacred wall with divisive slogans."

“This act is part of an ongoing campaign by extremist forces that seem to instil fear and division within the Canadian Sikh community," the society said in a statement.

“Their actions undermine the values of inclusivity, respect, and mutual support that are foundational to both Sikhism and to Canadian society," it said, urging Canadians to stand strong in the face of extremism.

A report with the Vancouver Sun suggested the police were investigating the incident.

In a statement, Vancouver Police Department spokesperson Sgt. Steve Addison said police were looking into the graffiti at the gurdwara.

No arrests were yet made into the case.

A video showing defaced walls of the gurudwara was shared by the Canadian Hindu Chamber of Commerce, which wrote on X, “We strongly condemn the vandalism of Laxmi Narayan Mandir in BC by Khalistani extremists. This act of Hindu phobia has no place in Canada." 

Meanwhile, Arya condemned the act and said, “The attacks on Hindu temples that began several years ago continue unabated today — this latest graffiti on the Hindu temple is yet another chilling reminder of the growing influence of Khalistani extremism."

“Well-organized, well-funded, and backed by significant political clout, Khalistani elements are brazenly asserting their dominance and successfully silencing Hindu voices across Canada," he wrote on X.

“This Khalistani extremists have targeted Khalsa Diwan Society (Ross Street Gurdwara) in Vancouver with pro-Khalistan graffiti and intimidation tactics," he added.

News world Vancouver Gurudwara Defaced With Pro-Khalistan Graffiti, Canadian MP Says Extremists 'Backed By Political Clout'