A Hindu temple in Melbourne’s eastern suburb of Boronia was defaced with racist graffiti earlier this week, prompting widespread condemnation from community leaders and authorities, and a police investigation into a string of coordinated hate crimes.
According to a report by The Brisbane Times, The Sydney Morning Herald, and The Australia Today, red spray-painted graffiti bearing the words “Go home” and other racial slurs were found across the walls of the Shree Swaminarayan Temple on Wadhurst Drive on July 21. Two nearby Asian-owned eateries — Kingsland Chinese Restaurant and Charles King Dumpling — were similarly targeted. A healing centre on Mountain Highway was also defaced the same night, bringing the number of vandalised locations to four.
Victoria Police confirmed the attacks are being treated as linked and are under active investigation. “There is absolutely no place at all in our society for hate-based and racist behaviour,” the police said in a statement. A spokesperson told The Australia Today, “The police are investigating following reports of graffiti in Bayswater and Boronia on July 21."
Makrand Bhagwat, President of the Hindu Council of Australia’s Victoria chapter, condemned the incident, calling it “heartbreaking” for the local community. “Our temple is meant to be a sanctuary of peace, devotion and unity,” he told Australia Today. “To have it targeted in this way feels like an attack on our identity, our right to worship and freedom of religion.” He added that the Shree Swaminarayan Temple is not just a place of worship but also a community hub, hosting daily prayers, cultural events, and community meals that draw devotees from across Melbourne’s Indian diaspora.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan issued a message of support to temple authorities, saying, “What happened this week was hateful, racist and deeply disturbing. It wasn’t just vandalism – it was a deliberate act of hate, designed to intimidate, isolate, and spread fear.”
Local interfaith organisations also condemned the attack. “We want to show that love and solidarity triumph over hate,” said Vikrant Thakur, a leader from the City of Greater Knox’s Multifaith Network.
Indian targeted in racist attack
Charanpreet Singh, a 23-year-old Indian international student, is recovering in hospital after a violent, allegedly racially motivated attack in Adelaide on July 19. The assault took place around 9:22 pm near Kintore Avenue. Singh and his wife had just parked their car to view the city’s light displays when they were reportedly ambushed by five men who emerged from another vehicle. Witnesses told The Indian Sun the attack appeared unprovoked and racially motivated, with the assailants allegedly using metal knuckles or sharp objects.
“They just said, ‘F*** off, Indian,’ and after that they just started punching,” Singh told 9News from his hospital bed. “You can change anything in your body, but you can’t change the colours.”
According to The Australia Today, Singh suffered facial fractures and brain trauma, and was left unconscious on the road before being rushed to the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
Eyewitnesses and viral videos show the attackers fleeing the scene. Singh’s wife managed to film the aftermath and captured the vehicle’s registration number.
Similar attacks reported abroad
The Boronia incident has drawn comparisons to similar acts of vandalism targeting Hindu temples abroad. In April, Canada’s Lakshmi Narayan Temple in Surrey was defaced with pro-Khalistan graffiti — the third such attack on the temple, according to a journalist who visited the site and noted a lack of official response. Earlier, Vancouver’s Khalsa Diwan Society’s Ross Street Gurdwara was also targeted with similar graffiti. The Gurdwara’s management condemned the acts, saying they were part of “an ongoing campaign by extremist forces that seek to instil fear and division within the Canadian Sikh community.”
