Ontario religious group opposes effort to limit protests in Mississauga

A group representing some 20 Sikh places of worship in Ontario and Quebec is pushing back against Mississauga’s attempt to ban demonstrations from taking place within 100 metres of such places.

Opposition from the Ontario Gurdwaras Committee comes in the wake of a Nov. 13 decision by City of Mississauga council that directed municipal staff to “consider the feasibility of implementing a bylaw that prohibits demonstrations within 100 metres, or within reasonable distance, of places of worship at the earliest possible time.”

The city’s move followed recent outbreaks of violence during protests in both Brampton and Mississauga. Brampton is also considering a similar bylaw.

Ward 7 Coun. Dipika Damerla, who tabled the motion, said she did so with an eye toward keeping people safe and free from intimidation as they attend places of worship in Mississauga. Protests, even relatively peaceful events, are on the rise across the region, she added.

An Ontario Gurdwaras Committee representative is scheduled to speak to the matter at city council on Wednesday.

In an open letter to council, the Brampton-headquartered group expresses its “deep concern” regarding the city’s recent motion that seeks “to ban peaceful protests outside places of worship.”

Continuing, the letter condemns what group members say are the motion’s “unsubstantiated claims of violence” at recent protests.

Ward 7 Coun. Dipika Damerla tabled a recent motion at city council she says is intended to keep people safe and free from intimidation as they attend places of worship in Mississauga.

“The motion was presented without any consultation with the Sikh community or the Sri Guru Singh Sabha Malton,” the letter reads, the latter reference to the Mississauga place of worship that was the site of one of the protests.

The group’s correspondence notes members also take issue with what has been characterized as violence that took place during a Nov. 3 protest at Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton.

In the letter, the group claims that demonstration “was a lawful and peaceful protest aimed at the consular activities taking place within the facility, not an attack on the place of worship itself.”

The group, which organizes such events as the annual Khalsa Day parade in Mississauga, goes on to say via its letter that similar protests have taken place across Canada, “with law enforcement informed and actively engaged at each event.”

In support of her motion, Damerla said at council on Nov. 13 she wished “we didn’t have to bring this motion forward … I’m the last person who wants to put any kind of limitations on Charter rights (to protest peacefully). But we are doing this … for faith communities of all sorts. We know these kinds of protests have been going on for some time and they’re very distressing.

“Just imagine for a minute,” Damerla continued, “that you’re going for your regular Sunday service and a Canadian flag is being burned as you go to church. It’s peaceful, it’s allowed, it’s lawful, but what is the signal that it sends as you go to prayer? Because I do believe that prayer is that last sanctuary where we allow grace to even those we don’t like and that line has been crossed over and over again. And that’s why we are here.”

Brampton also wants to introduce bylaws to establish community safety zones around places of worship after demonstrations the first week of November led to criminal charges. Four people were arrested after protests reportedly turned violent, spilling into Mississauga as Hindu and Sikh residents clashed.

Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah has also pledged his support to making places of worship off-limits to protesters.

He said the recent demonstrations outside temples in both Mississauga and Brampton warrant action to keep people safe.