Brampton councillors approve ban on 'nuisance demonstrations' at places of worship

Brampton city council has approved a new bylaw that prohibits "nuisance demonstrations" outside places of worship in the municipality following a series of violent clashes earlier this month. 

The bylaw bans protesting within 100 metres of the property line of any place of worship in Brampton in any way that would "cause a reasonable person to be intimidated, meaning that they are either concerned for their safety or security, or they are unable to access any Place of Worship."

Those who violate the bylaw could face a minimum fine of $500, up to a maximum fine of $100,000.

The bylaw passed unanimously at a Bramption city council meeting Wednesday morning. 

Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown said the law is meant to balance people's right to protest with the right to religious freedom. 

"It's not about legitimate political protest. This is simply about saying whether you go to a gurdwara, whether you go to mandir, or whether you go to a synagogue, a mosque, church, that you have the right to pray free from fear, intimidation and violence," Brown said at a news conference Wednesday. 

The city got input from local religious leaders and police in the drafting of the bylaw, Brown said. 

"We took great care in the drafting of it to make sure it met the concerns of, of everyone who had had given us feedback." 

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association has spoken out against the bylaw and urged Brampton city councillors to reconsider it, saying it raises serious Charter issues and "is likely to chill free speech and lawful, peaceful protests."

"Our civic space is where people come together to exercise their rights to associate, assemble and express themselves peacefully. This space is the bedrock of any open and democratic society," says a statement from the association.

"We urge the Brampton City Council to refrain from shrinking our civic space unduly and unfairly."

The bylaw comes after two days of altercations between Sikh separatists and pro-India Hindu community members in Brampton and Mississauga in early November. The fighting initially broke out at a Hindu temple in Brampton on Nov. 3 after members of a group called Sikhs for Justice held a protest while Indian consular officials were visiting.

More fighting later broke out later that day at the Malton gurdwara, a Sikh place of worship on Airport Road in Mississauga. 

Further clashes broke out outside the Hindu Sabha Mandir Monday evening, prompting Peel police to issue a public safety alert, after they said some participants were wielding weapons at a demonstration at the temple.

Group says they plan to continue protests 

Kuljeet Singh with Sikhs for Justice said the group wasn't there to protest against people attending the temple to worship, but to protest the visit by diplomats from the Indian Consulate who were there to perform official business with members of the temple. 

Despite the new bylaw, Singh said they feel they have a right to stage a similar protest if it happens again, pointing out that the bylaw does state that it is not meant to prevent people from peacefully protesting against foreign governments at a place of worship. 

"If consulate members or diplomats appear in official capacity, then obviously there will be protest, and they will meet a resistance," Singh said.

However, members from the temple say the diplomats were there helping Indian Canadians process paperwork related to passports and visas.

"They have no right to interrupt the peaceful prayer, or other services inside the temple," said Azad Goyat.