In a shocking incident last week, unidentified attackers fired 20-30 bullets at the Sri Sri Radha Krishna ISKCON temple in Spanish Fork, Utah, even as devotees were present inside. The temple, a spiritual center for thousands, suffered extensive damage, with bullets piercing hand-carved arches and the walls of its main worship hall.
According to Vaibhavi Devi Dasi, the temple’s co-founder, the attacks unfolded over several nights. On June 18, a staff member heard a loud sound and noticed smoke rising from the radio station’s roof. Days later, a bullet hole was discovered in a temple window, the bullet lodging deep into a wall near the sanctum. Investigators later found around 20 shell casings on the road just outside the temple’s security fence. CCTV footage captured a pickup truck parked outside, though no individuals were visible.
Strong Condemnation, Calls for Swift Justice
The Consulate General of India in San Francisco swiftly condemned the attack, urging local authorities to act decisively. “We strongly condemn the recent firing incident at the ISKCON Sri Sri Radha Krishna temple in Spanish Fork, Utah,” it posted on X, adding full support to the devotees and community.
The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) also demanded an urgent investigation. Highlighting an alarming pattern, CoHNA pointed to recent temple attacks across California, Minneapolis, New York, and Texas.
This incident follows a disturbing series of hate crimes. In March, the BAPS Hindu temple in Chino Hills, California was vandalized ahead of a so-called ‘Khalistani referendum’ in Los Angeles. Similarly, Canada has seen repeated attacks, often by Khalistani extremists, including the defacing of temples in Brampton and the painting of anti-India graffiti on Gurdwaras and Hindu temples alike.
Also in the UK:
UK Police Deny Racial Motive Despite Brutal Assault on Hindus in London Park
Beyond Imported Hatred, A Deeper Western Bias?
The firing on the ISKCON temple is more than just another police case. It underscores a reality many in the West prefer to sidestep: that their celebrated multiculturalism does not always translate into mutual respect.
Across the US and Canada, attacks on Hindu temples have grown worryingly frequent. Part of this is indeed fueled by radical imported politics — Khalistan supporters and assorted Islamist hardliners who find echo chambers in certain diaspora pockets. But there is also an uncomfortable, deeper angle that often goes unspoken.
There is a latent disdain among sections of the local population itself. Many simply can’t stomach the fact that people from what were once colonies have thrived so spectacularly. Hindus, in particular, become easy targets, not only because we worship idols, which offends many Abrahamic worldviews intrinsically, but also because we lack the same tightly-knit community response seen in, say, Chinese or Muslim immigrant groups.
A Community That Assimilates
Unlike others, Hindus tend to assimilate wherever we go. It’s both a strength and a weakness. Often, it means we don’t respond collectively, and there’s no cohesive backlash when temples are attacked. Worse, many of Hindu origin, after migration, develop an apologetic attitude or even discomfort about their roots, eager to gain approval from the local majority.
This makes us a convenient target. Western racists know that an attack on a Hindu temple is unlikely to cause the same uproar or state crackdown that an attack on other communities might trigger. Even local authorities too often brush these incidents aside as mere vandalism, rather than recognizing them as hate crimes meant to intimidate an entire community.