Sikh community targeted with death and hate messages amid holy procession
The Sikh community is disappointed after seeing death threats spray painted on several signs along their procession route in downtown Winnipeg ahead of the event on Sunday.
Amid the Sikh community’s annual Nagar Kirtan procession, a display of hatred emerged in Winnipeg. Death threats and swastikas were spray-painted on signs along the route of the holy event, which features the Guru Granth Sahib, the religion’s sacred scripture. Social media shared an image of the desecrated transit sign.
Winnipeg police confirmed that several signs bore hate messages. A Sikh attendee expressed confusion over the bigotry, stating that racism has escalated beyond acceptable limits. Harbans Singh Brar, president of the Sikh Society of Manitoba, remained steadfast, urging the community to stay strong and optimistic in the face of adversity. He stated, "It’s (hate) everywhere in the world. Don’t worry. Come here and enjoy yourself. We will pray for the whole community."
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew vehemently condemned the hateful graffiti, declaring that there is no place for racism against Sikhs or any people in the province. Const. Claude Chancy announced an increased police presence at the event. The incident is being treated as a hate crime. The Winnipeg Police Service’s 2025 statistical report revealed that hate-motivated crimes more than doubled, increasing from 44 cases in 2024 to 112 in 2025.
Written by urgent.news from Global News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
