ISKCON Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork, Utah, famous the world over for its colorful Holi Festival celebrations, has recently been the victim of a suspected hate crime, being attacked by a series of gunfire blasts that left the building severely damaged.
As reported by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), between 20 and 30 rounds were fired at the temple and immediate vicinity during several nights.
The attacks were while devotees and visitors were inside, and this resulted in extensive damage, which included damage to the temple's incredibly hand-carved architectural ornaments. The cost of the damage is estimated to amount into thousands of dollars.
In turn, the Consulate General of India in San Francisco released a sharp denouncement of the act and expressed solidarity with the victims. Posting on X, the consulate stated, "We strongly condemn the recent shooting incident at ISKCON Sri Sri Radha Krishna temple in Spanish Fork, Utah. The Consulate offers full support to all the devotees and the community and urges the local authorities to take immediate action to apprehend the perpetrators."
This is not the first instance that a Hindu temple in the U.S. has been targeted. The Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) temple in Chino Hills, California, was discovered to be defaced on March 9 last year, just days prior to a planned 'Khalistani referendum' that would take place in Los Angeles, said temple officials.
BAPS USA's official X social media page posted news of the vandalism and emphasized the community's determination in the midst of hostility. "In the face of another Mandir desecration, this time in Chino Hills, CA, the Hindu community stands strong against hate. Our shared humanity and faith will see to it that peace and compassion will prevail," said BAPS Public Affairs.
The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) also highlighted the event, attributing it to increasing anti-Hindu prejudice. They further stressed that the vandalism immediately preceded the controversial referendum. "Hindu Temple vandalized again, this time the iconic BAPS temple in Chino Hills, CA. No surprise, given that the day for so-called 'Khalistan referendum' in LA is nearing," read the post by CoHNA, which also chronicled previous temple attacks since 2022 and asked for a proper investigation.
In another ominous incident last year, vandals broke into the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Sacramento, California, on the evening of September 25—just following a similar break-in at a BAPS temple in New York.
Hateful graffiti such as "Hindus go back" were found at the locations, shocking the local Hindu inhabitants. In spite of such repeated incidents of provocation, Hindu community leaders still advocate harmony and stand firm in their resolve against hate-based actions.
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