A police officer who was suspended for attending a pro-Khalistan protest, whose participants entered the premises of a Hindu temple in Brampton and attacked devotees, has been given a clean chit. Canada's Peel Regional Police said the police officer, Harinder Sohi, seen in the viral video of the temple attack was trying to disarm people who refused to surrender weapons and became confrontational. In several videos from November 3, an aggressive Sohi can be seen brandishing a Khalistani flag, and not disarming any protester.
Peel police said an investigation found that the officer "acted within the lawful execution of his duties".
The incident was from Diwali weekend when pro-Khalistani protesters barged into the Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton where the Indian High Commission was holding a public camp.
Sohi, a Sergeant of Peel Police, was holding a Khalistani flag as the crowd chanted anti-India slogans. It is surprising that Peel Police said Sohi was trying to disarm people because the video showed him in plain clothes and off duty.
The police said the protest near the temple quickly escalated, raising safety concerns, and officers seized items that could be used as weapons.
During the altercation between police and Khalistani supporters, a Canadian police officer, Harinder Sohi, was caught on camera holding a Khalistani flag while supporters, armed with sticks, chanted anti-India slogans.
Sohi, a sergeant with Peel Regional Police, was later suspended after the video went viral.
However, in a video statement after the incident, Canadian police clarified that the suspended officer had "acted within the lawful execution of his duties".
Canadian police also confirmed that officers were attempting to de-escalate tensions.
"To maintain peace and order and to prevent injuries and further escalation, officers began to seize several items that could be used as weapons, including bats, sticks, and flagpoles," said Canadian police.
Peel Police released bodycam footage of the officer in the altercation, showing Sohi attempting to disarm a person who refused to give up a weapon and became aggressive.
The footage shows the officer approaching a man holding a stick and trying to take it from him. The man resisted, leading to a brief struggle before the officer seized the stick and dispersed the crowd.
"What the video doesn't show is the officer identifying a protester for the purpose of seizing a weapon that he's holding. The protester then retreats into the crowd, and he, along with others, begins to physically resist the officer. The officer's body-worn camera, which captured the interaction, was reviewed," said Constable Tyler Bell-Morena.
Following the attack on Hindu worshippers in Brampton, India’s Ministry of External Affairs voiced serious concerns about the safety of Indian nationals in Canada and urged the Canadian government to protect places of worship from such attacks.
It wasn't without evidence that people demanded Sohi's suspension after the protest and attack at the temple in Brampton on November 3.
Sohi was caught on camera holding a Khalistan flag, while others in the protest chanted anti-India slogans.
Peel Regional Police said earlier that they were aware of the circulating video that showed Sohi, an off-duty officer, actively participating in the demonstration.
Videos circulating on social media showed fist fights and people striking each other with flagpoles on what appeared to be the grounds surrounding the temple.
