Overview

• The Ross Street Gurdwara in Vancouver, one of Canada's oldest Sikh institutions, and the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir in Surrey were vandalized with pro-Khalistan and anti-India graffiti early Saturday morning.
• The Khalsa Diwan Society, which manages the gurdwara, attributed the act to a small group of Sikh separatists aiming to sow division within the community.
• The incidents occurred between midnight and 3 a.m., with unidentified individuals spray-painting slogans including 'Khalistan Zindabad' and other divisive messages.
• Vancouver Police have launched an investigation into the vandalism, with no suspects identified as of yet, while community leaders call for solidarity against extremism.
• The desecration follows a broader trend of nearly 20 similar attacks on religious sites across Canada since 2023, highlighting rising tensions and the need for unity among South Asian communities.