Hindu religious procession defiled: Eggs thrown at Rath Yatra and Hindu devotees participating in the religious event in Canada
Toronto, Ontario, Canada 
11 July, 2025
Case Summary
In Toronto, Canada, a Hindu religious procession, the Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, was targeted when eggs were thrown at the procession and the Hindu devotees, with the intent to desecrate and defile the religious event. The Rath Yatra is one of the most famous and important religious processions celebrated by Hindus. In Toronto, Canada, the festival features a grand procession along Yonge Street, where three beautifully decorated chariots carrying Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra are hand-pulled by devotees and well-wishers. The celebration involves singing devotional songs, dancing, and eating traditional vegetarian feasts. According to media reports, this was ISKCON’s 53rd annual Rath Yatra. While the procession was being carried out, eggs were hurled at the procession and at Hindus who were celebrating the Rath Yatra. An Instagram user, Sangna Bajaj, who was part of the procession and was singing and chanting devotional songs on the streets of the city, noticed eggs being thrown at the devotees from a building. In an Instagram video, she showed broken eggs splattered on the pavement. Bajaj explained that someone from a nearby building had thrown eggs at the Rath Yatra participants. Despite this, the procession continued undeterred. She stated, “We were stunned. Hurt. But we didn’t stop. Because hate can never overpower faith." Bajaj called this a racist attack and said that it hurt her religious sentiments. Sharing the video on Instagram, she questioned, “Someone from a nearby building threw eggs at us. Why? Because faith makes noise? Because joy looked unfamiliar?” She further stated, “We didn’t stop. Because when Lord Jagannath is on the streets, no hate can shake us." This incident sparked outrage on social media among Hindus, who described it as a racist attack against Indian Hindus. Some also questioned the carrying out of the Rath Yatra in public.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category- Attack on Hindu religious representations. Within this, the subcategory selected is- Defiling religious customs. Sanatan Dharma is not a religion of one book, which is to say that while it has religious scriptures that form the central tenets of the faith, there are several traditions followed through thousands of years, mostly passed from generation to generation orally. There are several such customs and traditions that are followed by various Hindus and Hindu sects. Defiling of these traditions and customs is a breach of an individual or group’s religious practices. Such practices can range from dietary restrictions like not eating non-vegetarian food for a certain period of the year, not eating non-vegetarian food at all, not eating beef since the cow is considered holy in Hinduism, the sanctity of religious customs followed in the house (like many ISCKON devotees), etc. Any malicious action leading to the breach of such traditions or defilement of these traditions owing to animosity towards the faith or for the sake of activism stems not only from the lack of faith in the religion itself but also from disregard for the faith of the devotees who follow the customs/traditions and implicit bias against the faith, the tradition itself. Since these specific traditions are central to the faith of the devotees of that specific sect of Hindus, any non-compliance with these traditional rules would be considered a religiously motivated hate crime. Another primary category relevant in this case is- Attack not resulting in death. Within this, the subcategory selected is- Attack on Religious procession. The outward celebration and display of religious symbols in an intrinsic part of Hinduism. Religious processions on various festivals are age-old traditions and a way to manifest faith and form a part of the religious practices of Hindus. On several occasions, such religious processions come under attack by non-Hindu mobs, in a manifestation of their animosity towards Hinduism and their practices. The reasons cited for such violent attacks are many and range from crossing a non-Hindu resident-dominated area to playing loud music, crossing from an area where there is a religious structure of another faith etc. The violent attacks are triggered by the outward display of religiosity by Hindus. The attacks are mainly a manifestation of religious supremacist doctrine which believes that idolatry, essentially the Hindu faith, is one that deserves to be annihilated since the very tenets of Hinduism, its practices and traditions are considered a sin in those doctrines. Since these attacks emanate from intrinsic and doctrinal animosity towards Hindus and Hinduism, it is considered a religiously motivated hate crime under this category. Within this, the subcategory selected is- Attack against Hindu devotees. Hindu devotees are a few of the easiest targets of religiously motivated hate crimes because during the festival/procession/puja etc, for non-Hindus it is easy to profile their victims on the basis of religion. Hindu devotees come under attack on several occasions by individual non-Hindus or mobs of non-Hindus owing to their animosity against Hinduism, its symbols and tradition/practices. There are several instances of Hindu devotees being attacked while they worship in temples or temporary religious structures, during religious processions, doing bhajan/kirtan/puja in their own homes, in the residential society etc. These attacks are perpetrated by non-Hindus primarily because of their animosity towards Hindus and their faith. In some cases, the trigger for the violence may be non-religious, however, there are two elements that make these hate crimes. First, the Hindus who come under attack are attacked violently while indulging in religious activity. Whether they are in a place of worship or not is immaterial to the crime. When individuals are attacked while indulging in religious practices, the attack in itself is a hindrance to their freedom to practice religion and therefore constitutes a hate crime. Secondly, religious supremacist doctrines and ideologies deem religious practices of Hindus to be offensive ab initio since they are considered “sinful” by these ideologies, worthy to be annihilated by force or coercion. Driven by these religious supremacist ideologies and doctrines, the attacks against Hindu devotees stem from intrinsic animosity towards Hinduism. In some cases, the trigger for the violence may be non-religious, however, it develops into a religiously motivated crime during the course of the violence. Since these attacks stem from animosity towards Hindus and Hinduism, they are considered religiously motivated hate crimes under this category. In this case, in Toronto, eggs were thrown at the Rath Yatra procession of Lord Jagannath. This constitutes a clear instance of hate crime against Hindus. The act of hurling eggs at the sacred chariot and the devotees was a deliberate attempt to defile and desecrate a revered Hindu religious custom, demonstrating contempt for the Hindu faith and its practices. Such acts of defilement are a result of religious hostility towards Hinduism and its adherents. The Rath Yatra is one of the most cherished festivals for Hindus, holding deep spiritual and cultural significance for countless Hindu families and communities. When someone deliberately defiles and desecrates this sacred procession, it is not just an attack on a ritual, but a personal affront to the feelings and faith of the Hindu devotees who take part in it. These are not just isolated acts of disrespect; they reflect a deeper hostility towards the Hindu faith and its traditions. For those who experience or witness such incidents, it feels like an attack on their very identity and sense of belonging. This makes it crystal clear that such actions are premeditated attacks aimed at targeting the Hindu community and their faith, making it a religiously motivated crime. This incident reveals an attempt to infringe on the Hindu community’s right to religious expression. Such actions not only disrespect the religious significance of the festival but also serve to intimidate and discourage Hindu worshippers from openly practising their beliefs. The attack, therefore, can be seen as a deliberate attempt to convey animosity against Hinduism. Further, the targeting of the Rath procession, an outward manifestation of Hindu religiosity, reveals an ideological hostility grounded not in spontaneous conflict but in a doctrinal aversion to Hindu religious symbols, practices, and visibility. In such cases, the justification for the violence is frequently rooted in objection to the procession's route, its devotional music, or its proximity to non-Hindu religious sites. However, these rationalisations fail to obscure the deeper sectarian motivations that undergird such attacks. The principles of religious supremacism, which view idol worship and its public demonstration as illegitimate or provocative, serve as the true catalyst. In Islamic theology, idol worship, referred to as Shirk, is regarded as the gravest sin. The Qur'an strictly condemns it, and Islamic teachings emphasise the complete rejection of any practice associated with idol worship. Muslims are taught from a young age that idolatry is an unforgivable sin. While this belief is central to the Islamic faith, it has also led, historically and in contemporary times, to intolerance and hostility towards idol-worshipping religions, especially Hinduism. When individuals publicly mock and desecrate Hindu deities, it reflects more than personal disrespect—it is often the manifestation of deep-seated theological contempt against Hindu practices, stemming from the Islamic doctrinal view that idol worship is impure and offensive. Such actions target the identity, beliefs, and dignity of Hindus. Desecration of deities is a deliberate attack on the religious sentiments of the Hindus that stem from the intrinsic animosity against the religion. Furthermore, the act was directed even at the Hindu devotees themselves, who were engaged in singing and chanting devotional songs as part of the procession. Throwing eggs at Hindu devotees participating in a religious event is an assault on their dignity and right to practise their religion freely. This targeted hostility towards both the ritual and its followers is emblematic of hate crime, as it was motivated by animosity towards the Hindu community and intended to cause emotional and psychological harm to them and their religious beliefs and practices, making it a religiously motivated crime. It is also important to address that while some may describe this incident as a racist attack, it is important to recognise that it was a targeted act of anti-Hindu hatred. The deliberate attempt to defile a sacred Hindu procession went beyond racial animosity and directly attacked the religious identity and sentiments of Hindus. Such actions are intended to intimidate and marginalise the Hindu community, sending a message that their faith and traditions are unwelcome. For those affected, this was not just an affront to their ethnicity but a deeply personal violation of their beliefs, making it an instance of a religiously motivated crime. In this case, even though the perpetrators are unknown, the act was motivated by religious hostility towards Hindus and their beliefs; therefore, this case is being added to the hate crime database.
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