Canadian cities pass motions to ‘ban protests in front of places of worship’ after attack on Hindu Sabha Temple

Two cities in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) passed measures on Wednesday (Nov. 13) to limit protests near places of worship.

Mississauga was the first to pass the motion, with council approving a motion tabled by councilor Dipika Damerla. The motion was passed unanimously, with all ten councilors voting in favor.

After the vote, Damerla wrote on

According to the motion, city staff would work to “consider the feasibility of implementing an ordinance prohibiting demonstrations within 100 yards, or within a reasonable distance, of a place of worship as soon as possible.” Brampton City Council also passed a similar motion later that same day.

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This comes after an incident on November 3, when pro-Khalistan activists attacked the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton while protesting an Indian consular camp being held there.

In response to that incident, counter-protests took place outside the Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sabha gurdwara in Malton that same evening. The next day, a meeting was held at the Hindu Sabha Mandir condemning the violence.

The Mississauga motion stated: “Such protests in front of places of worship, even if peaceful, can create an intimidating barrier that must be crossed to gain access to the place of worship.”

Due to safety concerns, two temples in the GTA, Brampton Triveni Mandir and the Toronto Kali Bari in Mississauga, announced Monday they would cancel consular camps scheduled for the coming weekend. On Tuesday, Canadian authorities said there was no information of any “direct threats” to GTA places of worship, although Indian consular camps were postponed to help defuse tensions.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Peel Regional Police (PRP) said: “Peel Regional Police are aware of community concerns, particularly in places of worship, regarding demonstrations and perceived threats. Peel Regional Police would like to make it clear that we have not received any direct threats against any place of worship in the Peel region.”

Peel Regional Police added that it was in regular contact “with the Consul General of India, as well as places of worship and community centers to work together to reduce risks to the community.”

They added: “Given current community tensions and a shared interest in maintaining public safety, organizers agreed that consular camps would be postponed to a later date to allow tensions to subside and any potential negative impact on limit the community.”

(With input from agencies)