A Gurdwara in Vancouver, Canada, was vandalised with pro-Khalistan graffiti, the Khalsa Diwan Society reported, attributing the act to a “small group of Sikh separatists.” The society said the walls of the Ross Street Gurdwara were defaced with slogans like “Khalistan Zindabad.”
Images of the incident, which quickly spread across social media, showed the phrase “Khalistan Zindabad” spray-painted multiple times on the wall bordering the Gurdwara’s parking lot. The graffiti also included other pro-Khalistan slogans and death threats aimed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Vancouver Police Department spokesperson Steve Addison confirmed that authorities had launched an investigation into the incident, specifically addressing the graffiti containing the word ‘murdabad’ found on the Gurdwara on Saturday.
“On Saturday, April 19th, 2025, we were shocked to witness an act of vandalism at our beloved Ross Street Gurdwara. A small group of Sikh separatists, advocating for Khalistan, defaced our sacred walls with divisive slogans like ‘Khalistan. Zindabad’,” the Khalsa Diwan Society said in a press statement.
“This act is part of an ongoing campaign by extremist forces that seek to instill fear and division within the Canadian Sikh community,” the organisation added.
The Society also issued a call for solidarity: “We call on all Canadians, Sikhs, and people of goodwill to stand together in the face of this extremism. We must denounce these acts and reaffirm our shared commitment to the values of peace, unity, and respect. This attack is an attack on all of us—on the very unity that makes Canada strong. Let us unite against division and extremism, for the future we all share.”
Canada has seen a rise in vandalism targeting religious sites, including Hindu temples. Earlier this year, the Sri Krishna Brundavana Temple in the Greater Toronto Area was defaced by unknown miscreants.
Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned an attack on a Hindu temple in Brampton, calling it “deliberate.”
He said, “I strongly condemn the deliberate attack on a Hindu temple in Canada. Equally appalling are the cowardly attempts to intimidate our diplomats. Such acts of violence will never weaken India’s resolve. We expect the Canadian government to ensure justice and uphold the rule of law.”