Community fears rise as racial attacks target temple and Asian-owned establishments in Victoria
In a disturbing display of racial hatred, a prominent Hindu temple in Melbourne’s suburb of Boronia was defaced with racist graffiti, triggering concern and outrage among the Indian-Australian and wider multicultural communities. The Shree Swaminarayan Temple was smeared with hateful slogans including “Go Home,” derogatory references to skin colour, and abusive language, reported gujaratsamachar.com.
The act is being treated as one of four connected incidents, including two Asian-owned restaurants and a healing centre, that were similarly targeted in the Boronia and Bayswater areas of Victoria. Local police confirmed investigations are ongoing into what they believe are racially motivated attacks.
Racist messages were spray-painted across a Hindu temple and local businesses, sparking widespread condemnation and police investigation in Victoria
Victoria Police confirmed that all four incidents occurred overnight on July 21, with graffiti discovered early the next morning. The attack on the temple was particularly distressing for its devotees, who arrived to find their place of worship desecrated.
Makrand Bhagwat, President of the Hindu Council of Australia’s Victoria chapter, called the attack “heartbreaking,” emphasizing the temple’s role as a peaceful hub for faith, culture, and unity. “Our temple is meant to be a sanctuary… seeing it vandalised was devastating,” he said.
The Premier of Victoria, Jacinta Allan, also issued a strong statement condemning the acts. Calling them “hateful, racist and deeply disturbing,” she stressed that such attacks have no place in Victoria and affirmed her commitment to upholding inclusion and diversity.
In a separate incident just days later, 23-year-old Charanpreet Singh, an Indian student, was violently assaulted in Adelaide. A viral video shows him being attacked without provocation by a group of five men wielding sharp weapons and hurling racial slurs. Singh sustained injuries while out with his wife, further stoking public outrage over a rising trend of hate crimes targeting Indians in Australia.
Community leaders and advocacy groups have demanded stronger actions and faster investigations, warning that such coordinated attacks are becoming alarmingly frequent and must be treated as serious threats to public safety and multicultural harmony.
