Calgary Sikh temple protest has lasted more than 15 days

People injured after protest turns violent Police were at a Sikh temple after a protest against its leadership turned violent.

Multiple people were hurt during what Calgary police are calling a disturbance at the Dashmesh Culture Centre on Sunday night.

Officers were called to the Sikh temple in northeast Calgary after violence broke out during a protest.

Police told CTV News that between 50 and 100 people were involved in a fight at 7:45 p.m. at the building, located at 135 Gurdwara Sahib Boulevard N.E. Two people suffered minor injuries during the fight.

Officials said there were two previous calls for service at the Dashmesh Culture Centre earlier that day, each for different disturbanced between the protesters and the building's occupants.

"At approximately 1:15 p.m., officers were initially dispatched for reports of a disturbance regarding individuals who were believed to be protesting at the location. Shortly after, a second call came in reporting the protesters had moved inside the building. Officers worked with the involved parties to de-escalate the situation," CPS said in a statement.

It's believed no weapons were involved in the fight and there were no arrests, police said.

Gurpartap Baidwan, one of the protest's organizers, said some of  temple congregation were gathering in opposition of the temple's elected leadership committee.

"(We were meeting) to oppose their various bylaw violations and a series of wrongdoings and grievances," he told CTV News.

Baidwan says the leadership is not following the rules of their faith or obeying the governance of the Sikh religion.

"They are required to abide by the Sikh Rehat Maryada that is issued by the Akal Takht, which is kind of like our Vatican," he said.

"The issue that we're having is that this committee that has come in is acting outside those parameters. They are not just violating the Sikh Rehat Maryada, which is the Sikh code of conduct, but they are also violating the institution's own bylaws as prescribed under Alberta law in the form of being a non-profit organization."

The protesters are also accusing the leaders of a lack of communication, unwillingness to settle conflicts in the community and general negligence.

He says the protests began on Dec. 24.

"That's 15 day-and-night protests in this cold weather," Baidwan said.

"Not once has the committee come outside and not once has the executive committee come outside to communicate or talk to the protesters outside.

"Why would they be hiding?"

Calgary police have not released any details about what sparked the assault or if anyone has been charged.

CTV News has reached out to the Dashmesh Culture Centre for more information about the incident and allegations made by the protesters.