A man in Halifax recounted a distressing incident where he was subjected to a racist outburst on Saturday. Shalu Shajan, who hails from India, shared with CBC News that the episode unfolded as he parked his car on Lower Water Street close to Prince Street in downtown Halifax. As he exited his vehicle, a man carrying bagpipes approached and deliberately struck his car’s side mirror with the instrument. Shajan confronted the man about the collision, but instead of leaving, the man proceeded to hit the trunk of the car.
The situation escalated into a heated verbal altercation, during which the man began hurling racist insults at Shajan, including telling him to “go back to your country.” Witness Raven Fox, who was present at the scene with his girlfriend, confirmed the intense exchange between the two men. Fox highlighted that the man carrying the bagpipes seemed to purposefully target Shajan’s car, expressing concern over the racial undertones of the incident.
Shajan expressed feeling threatened by the man’s aggressive behavior and racial slurs, which prompted him to consider the confrontation’s potential to turn physical. Eventually, the man walked away toward the waterfront as Shajan reached for his phone to call 911. Following the incident, Shajan took a photo of the man and reported the matter to Halifax Regional Police, including their hate crime unit.
Authorities acknowledged receiving the report and stated that the hate crime unit would investigate whether the encounter was motivated by hate. Shajan recounted his conversation with the police, where he affirmed the racial nature of the man’s language and expressed his belief that it constituted a hate crime. When asked if he wanted to pursue charges, Shajan emphasized the importance of holding the offender accountable.
While incidents targeting South Asian Canadians have been on the rise according to Statistics Canada data, with reported cases increasing from 167 in 2021 to 483 in 2025, the Indo-Canadian Association of Nova Scotia expressed deep concern over the incident involving Shajan. The association emphasized that hate incidents have widespread repercussions beyond the immediate victim, affecting families, newcomers, international students, and all community members seeking safety and inclusion in Nova Scotia.
Shajan, who has encountered racist remarks in the past, noted that this incident marked the first time he felt physically threatened. Motivated by a desire to assist the police investigation and ensure justice, he publicly shared his experience on Facebook to raise awareness and prevent similar incidents in the future.
