Case Summary

In the United States, a derogatory remark targeting the Hindu community, insulting their deities, and abusing Diwali celebrations, was made by a Christian woman named Bree Solstad. Diwali, also known as Deepavali, holds profound importance for Hindus as it symbolises the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. It commemorates the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after defeating the demon king Ravana, representing the triumph of righteousness (dharma) and virtue. The festival also celebrates the divine feminine energy through Goddess Lakshmi, who symbolises wealth, prosperity, and good fortune, and through Goddess Kali, who represents the destruction of evil forces. Diwali unites Hindu families and communities in prayer, celebration, and renewal, encouraging spiritual cleansing, positive beginnings, and harmony. The accused has 68,300 followers on X (formerly Twitter). On 20th October 2025, the accused made a vile remark on Diwali, targeting the entire Hindu community, calling them demon worshippers. She also declared Diwali as a day when false gods and demon gods are worshipped. The incident began when Kash Patel, the current Director of the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), extended Diwali wishes from his official X handle. In response, Solstad quote-tweeted Patel’s message with a derogatory comment, stating: "My politics is whatever gets pagan demon false god worshippers (Hindus) out of all leadership roles in our country. Diwali involves the worship of false gods and invites the presence and blessing of these demon gods. Lights are ceremonially lit to invoke the goddess of wealth."

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Why it is Hate Crime ?

This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category- Hate Speech against Hindus. The subcategory 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 remarks made by a Christian woman named Bree Solstad in the United States represent a clear case of anti-Hindu hate speech. She abused the Hindu community by calling them “demon worshippers,” a slur aimed directly at their faith and identity. Such remarks showcased explicit religiously motivated animosity towards Hindus, demeaning their beliefs and spiritual practices. These comments deeply hurt and offended the Hindu community, as they maligned the foundational aspects of their religion. Hate speech of this nature leads to fear, emotional distress, and social stigma against Hindus, encouraging prejudice, discrimination, and in extreme instances, even violence. By branding Hindus as “demon worshippers,” such rhetoric fuels dangerous stereotypes that may lead others to justify hostility or aggression against them, making this a case of religiously motivated hate crime. Solstad also denigrated Hindu gods by calling them “demon false gods,” displaying deep-seated contempt and hostility towards Hinduism. Hindu deities hold sacred and profound reverence for followers of the faith, and any attempt to insult or defame them constitutes direct religious abuse. The deliberate mischaracterisation of Hindu gods and goddesses as “demons” reflects not only ignorance but entrenched hatred against a community’s most sacred symbols. This act of vilification highlights the extent of religious intolerance and makes the incident a clear and deliberate example of hate speech motivated by religious bias against Hindus. Further, Solstad demeaned Diwali, one of Hinduism’s most important festivals, by describing it as a day when “false and demon gods are worshipped.” Diwali is a sacred and joyous occasion that celebrates the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. Any insult directed towards a festival of such religious significance unmistakably demonstrates deep-rooted animosity towards the Hindu faith. Her remarks constitute an attack not only on Hindu religious practice but also on the cultural and emotional identity of the Hindu community. This makes the incident a clear, targeted, and religiously motivated hate speech against Hindus. The phrases used by the perpetrator, including “false gods” and “demon gods,” perfectly exemplify the broader pattern of religious demonisation often expressed by Christian fundamentalist groups. Such rhetoric reflects doctrinal hostility towards non-Christian faiths, portraying them as inferior or evil merely because they differ from Christian beliefs. This ideological demonisation exposes entrenched religious prejudice against Hindus and their faith, meeting all parameters of an anti-Hindu hate speech. Therefore, this case is being recorded in the hate crime database of the Hinduphobia Tracker.