A Hindu temple in Richmond Heights, part of Ohio’s Greater Cleveland area in the US, was vandalised after bricks were hurled at the building, shattering several windows and causing damage to the premises.

The attack targeted the Shree Swaminarayan Hindu Temple Vadtaldham on Friday afternoon while priests and devotees were present inside the temple.

According to the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), the incident occurred during the afternoon hours when religious activities were taking place. No injuries were reported, although advocacy groups said the attack caused significant damage to the building.

CoHNA strongly condemned the incident and urged Richmond Heights Mayor Kim Thomas, local authorities and police officials to take swift action against those responsible. The organisation described the attack as an act of bigotry and called for a thorough investigation.

The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) also condemned the vandalism, characterising it as a possible hate crime occurring amid what it described as growing hostility and hateful rhetoric directed towards Hindu Americans and the wider Indian-American community.

HAF stated that surveillance footage of the incident is available and is being reviewed by authorities. The organisation said it remained in contact with temple leaders and was offering assistance following the attack.

The foundation further urged elected representatives and government agencies across the US to publicly and unequivocally denounce hate directed at Hindu and Indian-American communities.

HAF Executive Director Suhag Shukla said the incident demonstrated how online hostility could evolve into real-world violence against places of worship, and called for those responsible to be identified and apprehended.

The attack comes less than 10 days before Navratri celebrations and during preparations for Hindu Heritage Month, a period marked by cultural and religious events organised by Hindu communities across the United States.

The incident has heightened concern among local Hindu organisations, particularly because it occurred at a time when community participation in upcoming religious festivities was expected to increase.

The latest vandalism follows a series of reported attacks on Hindu religious sites and symbols across the US in recent years. These include the vandalism of a Mahatma Gandhi statue at Shri Tulsi Mandir in Queens, New York, in August 2022, and graffiti discovered at the SMVS Shri Swaminarayan Temple in Newark, California, in December 2023.

Hindu advocacy groups have also documented vandalism targeting BAPS temples in New York and California during 2024.

Last year, a BAPS temple in Chino Hills, California, was defaced with hateful messages, adding to growing concerns over the security of Hindu places of worship across the country.

The Ohio attack has once again drawn attention to calls from Hindu organisations for stronger protection of religious institutions and tougher action against crimes targeting faith communities.

Agencies