Surrey RCMP have seized firearms after a video circulated on social media showing Sikh men and women dancing with guns at a wedding, now confirmed to have been in South Surrey, B.C.
After becoming aware of the video Thursday, Surrey RCMP South Community Response Unit launched an investigation and later in the day confirmed the address where the video had been filmed, police told True North in a statement.
After the address was confirmed, “a Criminal Code investigation was initiated, and contact was made with the property owner,” police said. At around 5:30 pm, SCRU seized “several firearms” from the property owner.
An investigation to identify the individuals in the video is still underway, and “no charges have been forwarded yet,” according to police.
The video shows several men in turbans and women in traditional South Asian dresses dancing with guns next to a child at what appears to be a wedding. The man who filmed the video can be seen stretching out his arm, holding what appears to be a semiautomatic rifle with his finger on the trigger.
”We understand this incident was extremely alarming to the community at large,” Harm Dosange, Surrey RCMP’s community services officer said. “Public safety is our top priority, and our officers worked quickly to seize the firearms in question.”
A police representative said the SCRU will contact multiple partner agencies to expedite the investigation.
The video was initially posted to Facebook by Pattar Farm owner Harjit Singh Pattar before being picked up by Canadians concerned about potential gang and gun violence. A look at Pattar’s Facebook page still shows photos of a collection of firearms.
One photo found by X user “Brattani” shows Pattar standing beside Kalistan separatist Gerpatwant Singh from Sikhs for Justice. Sikhs for Justice is designated as a terrorist group, and its leader, Singh a terrorist by the Indian government.
In 2022, Interpol rejected India’s request to issue an international terror warning on Singh due to insufficient evidence that he was a global threat.
Another video posted to Pattar’s TikTok account, which has since been deleted, shows the farm owner posing with guns, shooting them in the air over a field, and a photo of a collection of over 25 guns.
Surrey RCMP is asking anyone with information regarding the incident or the identity of the individuals in the video to call Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 and to “quote file 2024-112686” when they do.
