Video: Chaos ensues after massive Diwali celebrations take over Mississauga parking lot

Videos showing a rowdy Diwali celebration at a Mississauga shopping mall parking lot are grabbing attention online for the second year in a row.

One of the clips posted to TikTok shows hundreds of people gathered outside Westwood Square Mall in Malton on Sunday waving flags and with fireworks heard going off in the background.

In another video, two groups of people appear to be throwing trash at each other before several police officers can be seen approaching one of the groups.

Sunday marked Diwali, the Festival of Light celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists around the world.

Peel Regional Police have confirmed that officers were called to the mall shortly before 9 p.m. for reports of a “disturbance.”

Police said they received multiple calls related to the plaza, but did not say whether any charges were laid.

City of Mississauga Ward 5 Coun. Carolyn Parrish called out what she called an “extremely poor response by Peel Regional Police” and a “disgusting lack of preparedness” by the plaza in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

“Having a local community police station in the plaza has done nothing to improve life for residents of Malton,” Parrish said in the post, calling it a “major disappointment all around.”

Another video shows the aftermath of the gathering with garbage and litter strewn across the parking lot.

In a public notice released via social media Monday afternoon, Peel Regional Police said they’re still investigating the incident at Westwood Square Mall.

“We are taking the appropriate measures and working with the City of Mississauga on any further actions required,” the notice read.

Diwali is usually celebrated with fireworks and sparklers, but a record number of complaints last year led Brampton city council to ban nearly all forms of personal fireworks, while Mississauga allows for personal fireworks use at homes on four holidays each year without permits.

Last year, police responded to reports of 400 to 500 people fighting during Diwali in Mississauga, with at least one person injured in the brawl.

Environment Canada also issued a special weather statement ahead of Diwali in 2022 for Mississauga and Brampton, saying that high levels of pollution across the area were anticipated because of the large number of fireworks that were expected to be let off as part of the celebrations.

Disgusting lack of preparedness on the part of Westwood Square and extremely poor response by Peel Regional Police. Having a local community police station in the plaza has done nothing to improve life for residents of Malton. Major disappointment all around. https://t.co/ubN5uQt2be

— Mayor Carolyn Parrish (@carolynhparrish) November 13, 2023

@harsh.johal Westwood square #diwali #2023 #brampton #malton #khalistan_zindabad✊🦅 ♬ B-Town (feat. Sunny Malton) – Sidhu Moose Wala

@setting_24_7 #happydiwali #how #our #community #celebrate #diwali #westwood #mall ♬ سبحان الله – Ali Dawud