3 arrested as protesters clash outside Hindu temple in Surrey, B.C.

Video posted by the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir temple in Surrey, B.C., shows RCMP officers arresting a man on the ground. (Facebook/Lakshmi Narayan Mandir)

Three people were arrested after duelling protests erupted into violence outside a Hindu temple in Surrey, B.C., over the weekend, according to the RCMP.

The protest and counter-protest took place Sunday as the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir was hosting a “consular camp,” which provides seniors of Indian descent a chance to obtain important documents, including certificates necessary for receiving their pensions, without having to visit an embassy.

In a news release, Surrey RCMP said officers were already stationed at the temple Sunday afternoon when “hundreds of protestors with opposing views arrived and began demonstrating.”

Videos from the scene show one group of demonstrators waving flags of the Khalistan separatist movement, which seeks an independent homeland for Sikhs within the current borders of India, while another group was protesting across the street.

“Violence broke out between groups and three persons were arrested,” said Sgt. Tammy Lobb, in the RCMP’s release. “No individuals or police officers were injured. The crowd dispersed within the hour following the arrests.”

The incident followed a much smaller protest held Saturday outside the Khalsa Diwan Society, a Sikh gurdwara that was hosting its own consular camp, to the dismay of some in the local Khalistan movement.

Some have called for Indian consulates to be shut down entirely, citing allegations from Canadian officials that the Indian government has been waging a campaign of violence and intimidation targeting Sikh separatists.

"We want the embassies to be shut down and we want the Indian consulate not to engage in Sikh gurdwaras," protester Ajaypal Singh told CTV News at Saturday’s event.

Hours after violence broke out on Sunday, Lakshmi Narayan Mandir issued a statement hours urging provincial and federal politicians to “address and prevent rising societal divisions.”

“The responsibility lies with the government and authorities to prevent this from escalating further,” the temple wrote. “We also call for the suspension, investigation, and prosecution of the police officers involved in unjustified violence against temple devotees.”

The temple has since edited the statement to remove the reference to alleged violence against devotees.

There was a similar clash outside another Hindu temple in Brampton, Ont., over the weekend, which also resulted in three arrests. 

Relations between Canada and India have been fraught since last summer, when Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent figure in the Khalistan movement, was gunned down outside his own Surrey gurdwara. Canadian officials alleged the government of India was involved in Nijjar's death, a charge officials from that country have denied.

Surrey RCMP said Asst. Commissioner Brian Edwards has been meeting with local temple leaders to address their ongoing concerns about unrest in the community, and will continue to do so.

With files from CTV News Vancouver’s Ian Holliday