Case Summary

In the United States, a derogatory image of Lord Vishnu was posted on social media by an American Christian user named “Napoleon Bonaparte Appreciator.” The accused also used abusive remarks directed at Lord Vishnu. This incident occurred on 5th November 2025. The accused, who goes by the username @NapoleonBonabot, has 58,300 followers on X (formerly Twitter). He posted a desecrated image of Lord Vishnu, depicting the deity as broken, shattered, and disfigured. In the same image, Jesus Christ was portrayed as supreme, standing above a mutilated figure of Lord Vishnu. The visual was created to project Christian superiority while mocking and denigrating the Hindu deity. Following this, one of the users on X commented, “Curse Vishnu.” In response, the accused further insulted Lord Vishnu by writing, “Vishnu is a demon. Christ is Lord,” thereby intensifying the act of religious insult and deliberate denigration of Hindu beliefs.

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Why it is Hate Crime ?

This case is being added to the tracker under the primary category- Attack on Hindu religious representations. Within this, the subcategory selected is- Iconoclastic representation of Hindu gods/goddesses. An icon is a symbol of someone or something that is revered, or a religious representation of a spiritual ideal. Iconography is of vital significance in the Hindu milieu. It helps connect people’s spiritual beliefs with the real world. Iconography within the Hindu faith takes several shapes and forms. Murtis are of most significance to Hindus, to which daily rituals, prayers and offerings are done. Besides the murtis, there are several other symbols which have deep significance in the Hindu faith – the Om and Swastika for example. Any iconoclastic representation of these symbols, images and murtis is an affront to the religious beliefs and faith of the Hindu community itself since the symbols and icons are deeply religious in nature. In this sub-category of crime, we would record hate crimes and iconoclastic representations, in words, art, or any other form of representations of symbols that hold religious significance for the Hindu community. Since these symbols, icons and murtis are central to the Hindu faith, any iconoclastic representation of these symbols is born out of animosity towards the faith itself, manifesting itself through these symbols and therefore, these representations would be considered religiously motivated hated crimes. Another primary category in this case is- 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 image posted by the American social media user under the name “Napoleon Bonaparte Appreciator” represented a deliberate act of anti-Hindu hate and iconoclastic provocation. The post displayed a mutilated, shattered image of Lord Vishnu placed beneath a cross with Jesus Christ, who was depicted above as triumphant and supreme. This graphic composition was not random but intended to visually assert the perceived superiority of Christianity over Hinduism. The deliberate portrayal of a revered Hindu deity in a broken and humiliated form amounted to an attempt to degrade Hinduism and desecrate its sacred imagery. Lord Vishnu, one of Hinduism’s most important deities, is the preserver and protector of the universe, embodying dharma, balance, and compassion. For millions of Hindus, Vishnu’s image represents divine order and spiritual stability. By distorting that image and placing it in a subjugated position beneath Jesus Christ, the accused’s post conveyed a message of iconoclastic aggression and religious insult—an attempt to humiliate the Hindu faith while celebrating Christian dominance. This was not artistic expression but an explicit act of digital desecration intended to offend, provoke, and degrade the Hindu community. The accused further intensified his actions by engaging in direct hate speech in response to reactions to his post. When another user commented, “Curse Vishnu,” the accused replied, “Vishnu is a demon. Christ is Lord.” These words reflected not only deep contempt but also explicit religious hostility. Such statements cannot be regarded as casual online remarks; they form a clear instance of anti-Hindu hate speech deliberately intended to insult a revered deity and the community that worships him. Referring to Lord Vishnu as a “demon” removed any semblance of discussion or theological debate—it was a direct verbal attack on Hinduism itself. This response displayed malicious intent and religious animosity, amounting to a calculated effort to degrade Hindu faith and mock the spiritual beliefs of an entire community. The use of the term “demon” to describe a Hindu deity reflected a long-standing doctrinal prejudice found in Christian theology, wherein non-Christian deities and religious concepts are labelled as demonic or false. This narrative has historically been employed to justify conversion efforts by framing polytheistic faiths, such as Hinduism, as misguided or evil. In this case, the accused’s words mirrored that same historical pattern of hostility that sought to vilify Hindu gods and portray Christianity as superior. It was a clear manifestation of religious hatred and doctrinal animosity directed specifically toward Hindus and their faith. The blending of iconoclastic imagery and hate-laden speech made this post a textbook example of a religiously motivated offence intended to inflame, insult, and damage the dignity of followers of the Hindu faith. Therefore, this case is being added to the hate crime database of the Hinduphobia Tracker.