A recent report reveals a big increase in hateful comments and actions toward South Asians in Canada, both on the internet and in everyday life. Toronto Star
A new report shows a major rise in hate messages targeting South Asians in Canada. The report, based on social media activity, found that hateful posts aimed at this community have grown sharply in the past year.
Steven Rai, an extremism analyst, said, “We saw on X specifically that South Asians were really disproportionately targeted.” This platform, formerly known as Twitter, saw a rise of over 1,350% in posts containing anti-South Asian slurs between 2023 and 2024.
At the same time, police-reported hate crimes against South Asians went up more than 227% from 2019 to 2023. Rai called the numbers “absolutely staggering.” He also noted that while hate towards other groups, like Muslims, remains a problem, the surge in anti-South Asian messages is particularly worrying.
Real-World Threats Tied to Online Hate
The rise in hate isn’t just online. Rai said this shift reflects how many Canadians are linking personal struggles, like the housing crisis and job insecurity, to immigration policies. “They’re looking at the South Asian community and blaming them,” he explained.
Places with large South Asian populations, like Brampton in Ontario and Surrey in British Columbia, have become easy targets for such anger.
The report also found that some hate posts specifically target South Asian politicians. During the last federal election, many posts aimed at former NDP leader Jagmeet Singh spiked online.
Extremist Groups Fueling the Fire
The report also points to domestic extremist groups pushing this hate. One such group, Diagalon, gained followers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their leaders often share hateful content online aimed at South Asians, especially Indian people.
The study found posts that used the “Great Replacement” theory — a false idea that elites want to replace white populations with non-white immigrants. Some of these posts even mention Canada as an example of what could go wrong.
Report Comes Amid Immigration Debate
The timing of the report is important. The federal government has recently promised to cap immigration numbers. This move came after many Canadians said they were struggling to afford housing.
However, Rai said blaming immigrants doesn’t solve the problem. Instead, it feeds false ideas and encourages hate against minority groups.
He added that more attention needs to go toward the dangerous spread of hate speech. People must also better understand that large-scale problems like housing and jobs are not caused by immigrants alone.
