Racial Attack: Indian Couple Attacked In Canada

In a racially motivated attack, an Indian couple was harassed in the Lansdowne Place Mall parking lot by a group of Canadian youths on July 29, 2025. With the video going viral on social media and many terming it as hate crime, the Peterborough police arrested an 18-year-old youth from Kawartha Lakes on August 9, 2025, suspecting connection with the incident. After investigation, he was charged with hate crime.

Reportedly, the accused has been released on an undertaking and will appear in court on September 16, 2025.

In the viral video, three men are seen inside a truck hurling racial abuses against the Indian couple. As the Indian man tries to get the licence plate of the truck, one of the three youths shouts, “Do you want me to get out of the car and f*g kill you?”. Another youth calls the Indian ‘big nose’ and another is also seen getting out of the truck and making obscene gestures at the couple.

There is no specific charge for hate crime in Canada that applies to this incident, there is a hate crime element to this case and that will be addressed as the case proceeds to the court, the police said.

Peterborough Police Service Chief Stuart Betts said that type of behavior is not acceptable in our community or in any other community. He thanked the residents for bringing information about the incident to the notice of the police and encouraged them to continue to report hate bias incidents or crimes that take place in the community. Reporting these incidents to police is crucial to enable them investigate and pursue charges when appropriate. “We are committed to keeping our community safe for everyone who lives, works, or visits this place,” he said.