York police investigating hate crime after Gandhi statue defaced in Richmond Hill
Posted July 14, 2022 9:31 am.
Last Updated July 14, 2022 12:52 pm.
WARNING: This story contains graphic language
Police in York Region are investigating after a statue of Gandhi was defaced at a temple in Richmond Hill on Wednesday afternoon.
The incident happened around 12:30 p.m. at the Vishnu Mandir Hindu temple on Yonge Street, just north of Highway 7.
Dr. Budhendranauth Doobay is the chair of the temple, and says a visitor first reported the vandalism on Wednesday.
“I was so shocked, I didn’t know what to do,” says Doobay. “The whole community is very, very disturbed.”
“We are doubly disturbed because nothing like this has ever happened in our temple area.”
Photos provided by the temple show graphic words spray-painted on the ground and the base of the nine-foot statue, including “rapist” and “Khalistan” — the latter referencing a Sikh separatist movement seeking to establish an independent state in the Punjab Region of India.
Gandhi was seen as a leader of the movement for India’s independence from British rule in the 1940s.
Investigators confirm to CityNews the incident is being investigated as a hate crime.
“It is considered a hate-motivated incident and will be investigated as such,” says a spokesperson for York Regional Police. “The graffiti appears to be a possible target towards Punjabi culture and Sikh culture.”
Suspects are still outstanding and no suspect descriptions have been made available. Police say they are looking for any witnesses or video surveillance that could be used to assist the investigation.
Doobay says a member of the temple’s community has offered a $10,000 reward in an effort to bring the perpetrator to justice. He also says the temple has received an outpouring of support from residents outside of the Hindu and Indian communities.
“I am very touched by the support from all of the community,” he says.
The temple says the statue has since been cleaned, and the words have been removed.
We are deeply anguished by this hate crime that seeks to terrorize the Indian community. It has led to increased concern and insecurity in the Indian community here. We have approached the Canadian government to investigate and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice swiftly. https://t.co/wDe3BUpEWi
— India in Canada (@HCI_Ottawa) July 13, 2022
The Consulate General of India in Toronto, and the High Commission of India in Ottawa, have both condemned the vandalism on social media.
“We are deeply anguished by this hate crime that seeks to terrorize the Indian community,” writes the High Commission on Twitter. “It has led to increased concern and insecurity in the Indian community here. We have approached the Canadian government to investigate and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice swiftly.”
“This criminal, hateful act of vandalism has deeply hurt the sentiments of the Indian community in Canada,” adds the Consulate General. “We are in contact with Canadian authorities to investigate this hate crime.”
