VANCOUVER - A Hindu temple in Surrey, B.C., is calling for the suspension of police officers involved in what it calls “unjustified violence against temple devotees” during unrest on Sunday in which three people were arrested.
The arrests outside the Sri Lakshmi Narayana Hindu Temple came as protesters calling for a separate Sikh nation called Khalistan had demonstrated outside the temple on Sunday during a visit by Indian consular officials. The temple issued a statement on social media to condemn what it called an “attack on the Hindu temple by extremist elements,” saying it underscores the “urgent need” for government officials to stop escalating violence. Videos posted on social media show two men being restrained and held to the ground by officers outside the temple.
Surrey RCMP said officers were deployed to the temple around 2:30 p.m. on Sunday to maintain public safety during the consular visit, “when hundreds of protesters arrived.
” They say violence broke out and, while no one was injured, three people were arrested. Videos show both RCMP and Surrey Police Service officers in attendance. Asked about the temple’s allegations of unjustified police violence, the RCMP said Assistant Commissioner Brian Edwards, the officer in charge of Surrey RCMP, “continues to meet with local temple leaders to address their concerns.
” There was similar unrest at a Hindu temple in Brampton, Ont., on Sunday, that prompted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to conde.
