B.C. Sikh temple granted buffer zone with protests of consular officials expected

A B.C. Supreme Court judge has granted an order to establish a buffer zone around one of the province’s largest Sikh temples this Saturday in advance of expected confrontations between protesters and Indian consular officials.

The Khalsa Diwan Society, which runs the Ross Street Gurdwara, says in court documents that it expects “intense protests” at two “consular camps” scheduled for Nov. 2 and Nov. 16 after the RCMP made allegations about Indian officials involvement in criminal activity in Canada.

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The court documents say the camps give seniors of Indian descent a chance to meet with consular officials to complete administrative tasks, mostly related to their pensions, without having to attend the consulate in Vancouver.

Six Indian diplomats were expelled from Canada last month over allegations that they used their position to collect information on Canadians in the pro-Khalistan independence movement and then pass that on to criminal gangs who targeted the individuals directly.

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The order prohibits protesting, blocking the sidewalks or intimidating anyone trying to enter the property within 50 metres of the roads surrounding the temple.

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The court documents say protests at last year’s camps meant police officers had to use a “decoy plan” to escort consular staff out of the gurdwara from a side door to avoid confrontations.