Attack on Hindu religious sentiments: Hate-filled bigotry by Canadian Christians targets Hanuman statue in Brampton, Canada
Brampton, Ontario, Canada 
16 December, 2023
Case Summary
In Brampton, Ontario, Canadian netizens expressed derogatory and bigoted sentiments toward the Hindu community. It was directed at the 55-foot statue of Lord Hanuman nearing completion and scheduled for unveiling in April 2024 for Hanuman Jayanti, at the Hindu Sabha Mandir. Cosmin Dzsurdzsa suggested that the visible display could be interpreted as a projection of power, which he considered concerning in a multicultural society. "Why would somebody feel the need to erect a 50-foot idol outside for non-believers to see and not in a temple?" he wrote. Others criticised libertarian arguments defending the statue, contending that such positions undermined Canadian culture. Harrison Faulkner compared the Hanuman statue to the treatment of historical figures in Canada, specifically noting that the statue of John A. Macdonald had been covered for over two years while a new Hindu monument was being celebrated. Some went further, calling for an immediate halt to immigration, citing the Hanuman statue as evidence of cultural encroachment. The reactions to the Hanuman statue reveal a troubling inconsistency in Canadian discourse on multiculturalism. While the country is widely celebrated for its diversity and tolerance, many responses demonstrate intolerance toward visible expressions of non-Christian faiths. This backlash stands in stark contrast to the muted response to recent attacks on Hindu temples by pro-Khalistani extremists, highlighting selective outrage based on religious identity.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
The primary category selected is - Hate speech against Hindus. The sub-category selected is - Anti-Hindu slurs, mocking faith. Anti-Hindu slurs and the deliberate mocking of the Hindu faith owing to religious animosity involve the usage of derogatory terms, stereotypes, or offensive references to religious practices, symbols, or figures. One of the common anti-Hindu slurs used against Hindus is “cow-worshipper” and “cow piss drinker”. The intention of using this term is to demean and mock Hindus as a group and their religious beliefs since Hindus consider the cow holy. Additionally, some symbols and the slurs attached to them have a historical context that exacerbates the insult, hate, stereotyping, dehumanisation and oppression against Hindus. Cow worship has been used for centuries to denigrate Hindus, insult their faith and oppress Hindus specifically as a religious group. There has been overwhelming documentation about how cow slaughter has been used to persecute Hindus with cow meat being thrown in temples and places of worship. There has also been overwhelming documentation where cow meat (beef) has been force-fed to Hindus to either forcefully convert them to Islam or denigrate their faith. Apart from cow worship, the Swastika – which holds deep religious significance for the Hindus – has also been misinterpreted and distorted to use as a slur against Hindus. Similarly, the worship of the Shivling has been used by supremacist ideologies and religions to denigrate Hindus owing to religious animosity. Such slurs and denigration stem out of inherent animosity and hate towards Hindus and their faith, therefore, it is categorised as hate speech targeted at Hindus specifically owing to their religious identity. In this case, the comments and criticisms directed at the statue were not mere expressions of opinion about public displays of religion but were rooted in derogatory assumptions and a demeaning perception of Hindu practices. By framing the erection of a religious monument as a “projection of power” or as evidence of “cultural encroachment,” the commentators deliberately mocked Hindu religious expression, targeting the faith itself rather than engaging in neutral civic debate. This deliberate denigration, framed as concern over multicultural norms, reinforces stereotypes and fuels prejudice against Hindus based solely on their religious identity. Furthermore, by invoking selective comparisons, such as contrasting the Hanuman statue with the coverage of John A. Macdonald’s statue, critics implicitly delegitimise Hindu visibility in the public sphere. This mirrors other documented forms of anti-Hindu hate, where sacred symbols, rituals, or revered figures are targeted to marginalise, humiliate, or stereotype Hindus. The cumulative effect of these comments is a systematic attempt to mock and demean Hindu faith, which classifies this incident as hate speech specifically aimed at Hindus due to their religious identity. Disclaimer: It is important to clarify that the report does not specify the exact date when the hostility toward the Hanuman statue began. For documentation purposes, the date has been recorded based on when the incident was reported in the media.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Christian Extremists
Perpetrators Range
N/A
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
