Ohio Hindu temple vandalised with bricks, windows shattered
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A Hindu temple in Ohio’s Greater Cleveland area was vandalised with bricks on Friday afternoon, causing damage to the building and shattering its windows, according to the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA).
The incident took place at the Shree Swaminarayan Hindu Temple Vadtaldham while priests and some devotees were inside, the US-based Hindu advocacy group said. It did not report whether anyone was injured.
CoHNA urged Richmond Heights Mayor Kim Thomas and city authorities to condemn the incident and called on police to take swift action against those responsible.
The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) described the incident as a possible hate crime and said it came at a time of increased hostility towards the Hindu American community. HAF called on elected leaders and government agencies to condemn hateful rhetoric targeting Indian and Hindu Americans.
HAF Executive Director Suhag Shukla also condemned the attack and called for authorities to review available video footage and identify the perpetrator.
The incident occurred as the Indian-American community in Ohio was preparing to observe Hindu Heritage Month, with the Navaratri festival due to begin in less than 10 days.
CoHNA has previously documented vandalism and attacks targeting Hindu religious sites in the US. These include vandalism of a Gandhi statue at Shri Tulsi Mandir in Queens, New York, in August 2022 and graffiti at the SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Temple in Newark, California, in December 2023.
The group also reported attacks on BAPS temples in New York and California in 2024. Last year, the BAPS temple in Chino Hills, California, was defaced with hateful messages, according to the organisation.