Court approves buffer zone ahead of expected protests at Vancouver Sikh temple – BC News

Photo: The Canadian Press

People line up to pay their respects during worship at the Khalsa Diwan Society temple in Vancouver, BC, Saturday, April 14, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

A BC Supreme Court judge issued an order establishing a buffer zone around one of the province’s largest Sikh temples on Saturday, ahead of expected clashes 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 that Indian officials were involved in the activities criminal. in Canada.

Court documents say the camps give Indian-origin seniors a chance to meet with consular officials to complete administrative tasks, mostly related to their pensions, without having to go to 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 passed it on to criminal gangs that directly targeted the individuals.

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

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