This will go down as the ‘Night of the Long Swords’ in the GTA.
This was Indian politics and religion being fought not on the streets of Mumbai but on the streets of Brampton.
This was anarchy. Nov. 4, 2024 was the date that Canada saw swords in the streets as part of a religious battle that turned Brampton into an armed battleground.
“Police saw swords in the crowd, and they are investigating,” Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown told the Toronto Sun Tuesday.
Daggers, metal rods and machetes, too.
It’s just fortunate there was no bloodshed. There were weapons deployed that could have easily resulted in that. As bad as what videos show, Brown said there was more mayhem and evil plans in the works.
“There was chatter found on messaging boards for one group of protesters to throw oil on the police,” he said.
On this evening, police officers were attacked and overwhelmed by the hundreds upon hundreds of angry and violent protesters from all sides. Calling it “unacceptable,” Brown said it all needs to end immediately.
“We don’t need this hideousness in Canada,” Brown told the Sun Monday night, adding “we must be better than this in Canada.”
The mayor, who has spent time in India and works with and has the support of people from all sides in this dispute, said, “religious freedom is a foundational value in Canada, and we can’t have faith communities intimidating and harassing each other.”
But it’s happening. Long-running feuds in India involving Sikhs, Khalistan separatists and Hindus are in full swing right here in Brampton.
As the world watches, Brown said the settling of those old scores is not tolerable in Canada.
“To be blunt,” Brown said, “if you don’t support religious freedom, then go back home, Canada isn’t for you.”
Time will tell if Brown’s strong, important words are adhered to.
As police brace for more potential demonstrations and problems Tuesday night, it’s not lost on anybody involved that no one on any side was listening either Sunday or Monday when long-running Indian political and religious grievances spilled over the walls of a Brampton temple and into the streets and mall parking lots in both Brampton and across the line into Mississauga.
Most of the skirmishes and lawlessness were in the Gore Rd.- Ebenezer Rd. area, between the Sikh Gurdwara Dasmesh Darbar and the Hindu Sabha Mandir.Police sources say weapons like machetes and swords were spotted in 10 different locations. Peel Regional Police felt it was so dangerous they asked people to stay away.
“Weapons have been observed by police within the demonstration and this is now an unlawful assembly” Peel cops posted to X Monday night.
With things about to spin out of control and danger to demonstrators and officers potentially looming, Peel cops immediately called for backup from Toronto Police which ordered its off-duty Public Order Unit team to assemble and come to Brampton to help the outnumbered Peel cops end this unruly mob before somebody got hurt.
And that easily could have happened.
Videos posted to social media show participants with blades and machetes, vehicles being smashed, police being challenged and people yelling angry vitriol.
“The Indian Army must come to Canada and storm the Khalistan Sikh temple,” one man is heard yelling.
This is Canada. There is no way the politics of India should be played out on our streets here — let alone any suggestion that the Indian Army come here to attack an enemy.
It’s pathetic. It’s concerning. It’s disturbing.
On X, Brown stated “this was the idiot at the Hindu Sabha last night trying to direct violence against those of Sikh faith” and that “agitators trying to incident violence need to be dealt with promptly and swiftly.”
Peel police are keeping their cards close to their vest but, sources say, they are hard at work going through videos and reviewing all evidence from both nights of violence. Dozens of arrests have been made or are imminent.
Peel has also already suspended one of its own off-duty sergeants for allegedly being in attendance in a demonstration that turned violent and is fielding other complaints from the public.
Brown said no one on any side should be spared of the law.
“Agitators on both sides need to be arrested and charged for the violence they are trying to incite,” said Brown.
The best way to prevent anarchy is to send a message to all sides that it will be condoned in Canada. When you see swords on the streets and plans to use oil to harm police in Brampton, the time to end this madness is now.