A man in Halifax reported experiencing a racist incident where he was verbally attacked by another man who struck his car with bagpipes. The victim, Shalu Shajan, a immigrant from India, recounted the confrontation that took place on Lower Water Street in downtown Halifax.
Shajan explained that after parking his car, a man carrying bagpipes approached and deliberately hit his side mirror with the musical instrument. When Shajan confronted him, the man struck the trunk of his car as well. The situation escalated as the man began shouting racist remarks at Shajan, telling him to “go back to your country.”
Eyewitness Raven Fox, who was present during the incident, confirmed the verbal altercation and highlighted the racial bias displayed by the man with the bagpipes. Fox mentioned that the man’s actions seemed intentional in targeting Shajan’s car.
Shajan expressed feeling threatened by the aggressor’s behavior and decided to call 911. The man eventually walked away towards the waterfront. Shajan took a photo of the man and reported the incident to Halifax Regional Police, including their hate crime unit.
The police are investigating whether the incident qualifies as a hate crime based on Shajan’s account of the racist language directed at him. Statistics Canada data shows a rise in reported hate crimes against South Asian Canadians, with 167 incidents in 2021 increasing to 483 in 2025.
While the Indo-Canadian Association of Nova Scotia did not comment on this specific incident, they expressed deep concern over such racist behavior targeting members of the Indian diaspora. Shajan emphasized the importance of speaking out against such incidents to prevent them from happening to others.
He shared his experience on Facebook to aid the police investigation and ensure accountability for the perpetrator. Shajan emphasized that while he has faced racist comments before, this was the first time he felt physically threatened.
The incident sheds light on the ongoing issue of racism in Canada, particularly against marginalized communities, and the importance of taking a stand against such behavior.