WARMINGTON: No investigation so far as video shows kids kicking Indian PM's photo

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Calgary Police officers say they are “aware” of shocking social media videos showing Canadian children kicking the likeness of the face of India’s prime minister, and of adult protesters allegedly calling for the incarceration of Narendra Modi.

While police don’t see any criminality, why are Canadian kids growing up in a safe city like Calgary participating in a cosplay of inflicting physical punishment on a world leader from thousands of kilometres away? And where are their parents?

At a time when Canada is hosting the world, it doesn’t look good. How will these kids act as adults?

While a video showed an Ontario licence plate on a rental trailer carrying a mock display of Modi — depicted in a jail cell, restrained with handcuffs, and with a target on his face — it has been confirmed by Calgary Police this video was shot at a Sikh temple in Calgary.

“This happened (on the weekend) at Dashmesh Gurdwara in Calgary,” said independent journalist Mocha Bezirgran, adding the “the truck is from Vancouver.”

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It’s unclear how the trailer with an Ontario licence plate got there. However, videos from Bezirgran show  the truck and trailer were deployed in a rolling protest on Alberta’s highways which coincides with the G7 Summit.

Modi was among the many of the world’s leaders scheduled to attend the meeting. In fact, Prime Minister Mark Carney extended a personal invitation to Modi.

Relations between India and Canada have been bumpy for several years. Former prime minister Justin Trudeau expelled six Indian embassy staff over the 2023 murder of Khalistani Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia.

Carney’s invitation to Modi is seen as an olive branch to improve relations.

However, Sen. Baltecj S. Dhillon, a former Mountie, wrote in a public essay Sunday that “inviting Prime Minister Modi at this moment represents a troubling departure from our principles” and “prioritizes short-term strategic calculations over long-term democratic values” and “sends the message that trade, and geopolitical interests matter more than sovereignty, justice, and public trust” and confirms “there are no real consequences for foreign interference in our democracy.”

For Carney, these videos are potentially embarrassing as the world watches Canada and the G7 Summit, while also presenting a possible security issue. For example, as Bezirgran reported on X, “Khalistanis have taken over Calgary’s municipal plaza shouting, ‘Kill Modi politics.’”

Keean Bexte, of Juno News, showed this was being done right in front of police officers.

Using “kill” and a world leader’s name in the same sentence, seems far more troublesome than anything anything done by the Freedom Convoy protesters convicted in a court and now facing serious jail time. Others convoy supporters had their bank accounts frozen.

“We are aware of these videos and have reviewed them,” said Calgary Police in a statement. “At this time, this conduct does not appear to be criminal in nature; however, we are in contact with the organizers of this rally to ensure their demonstration remains lawful.”

Calgary Police added officers will “continue to monitor the behaviour of all demonstrators throughout the G7 Leaders’ Summit and will take enforcement measures, when necessary, to respond to criminal activity or maintain public order.”

One leading the Calgary city hall rally was originally convicted and later vindicated of a conspiracy to commit mass murder in an alleged Air India bombing plot of a flight in New York. Other leaders told Bezirgan troubling things on Monday, including, “I am ready to kill Modi politics,” as well as being willing to “ambush Modi” and describing him as “an enemy of Canada, this Hindu terrorist.”

But as concerning as what the adults were saying, most surprising was seeing young boys — looking as young as 10, and no older than 12 — dressed up in traditional clothing while  lunging, punching and kicking Modi’s picture.

“This isn’t activism. It’s radicalization. And it starts at home,” said one commenter on X.

It’s definitely troubling— especially with Modi set to participate in the G7 meeting.  The Prime Minister’s Office, the Indian embassy in Ottawa or Gurdwara Dashmesh have yet to comment on the videos.

But I will.

It is important to say any violent action is not peaceful protest. Any Canadian is entitled to demonstrate but it must be done respectfully, peacefully and not hatefully. And when you see children participating, there needs to be a discussion.

Modi is our prime minister’s guest.

He leads the world’s largest democracy, and should feel secure in Canada. Any concerns about his leadership, should not be taken out on the highways, or involve children. They should be raised in the public square like any other protest.

Demonstrators threatening violence or seeing kids kicking photos is just unCanadian.