Canadian investigative journalist Mocha Bezirgan was physically assaulted by multiple pro-Khalistan individuals in Vancouver on Sunday. In a conversation with national media, Bezirgan revealed that one of the attackers had been stalking and harassing him for over a year. The incident occurred in full view of police officers, further intensifying concerns over the safety of independent journalists in Canada.
Bezirgan recounted the traumatic incident, saying, "It just happened two hours ago, and I’m still shaking. I was surrounded by multiple Khalistanis who behaved like thugs. They threatened me, got physical, and one of them even snatched my phone from my hand — right in front of the police.”
The journalist identified one of his attackers as a non-Canadian UK national who had been targeting him online with dehumanising language and exposing his personal whereabouts — a practice known as doxing. Bezirgan said this individual had been tailing him for a long time and was present at the location with the clear intent to provoke and threaten him.
“I've been covering Khalistani protests across countries including Canada, the US, the UK, and New Zealand. I’ve attended about 30 of their events since last year. My role as an editorially independent journalist seems to frustrate them. They’ve tried to influence me, bribe me, and when that doesn’t work, they resort to threats and violence,” he explained. According to Bezirgan, the assault took place while he was covering a public event held by Khalistani supporters to honour individuals they called “martyrs”— including the assassins of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and even child suicide bombers.
“This was a public event in a public space. I had every right to report on it,” he said, adding that he had attempted to engage in a civil conversation with one of the men. However, the individual kept encroaching on his personal space and persistently urged him to "go around the corner" — a demand Bezirgan refused.
“I told him I’m not afraid and I’m open to a conversation here in the open. But this wasn’t a conversation. It was a setup to intimidate and provoke,” he said. “He was in my face, asking loaded questions, refusing to let me respond, and gesturing threateningly. Then two or three others surrounded me. I had nowhere to go.” As the situation escalated, Bezirgan began recording the interaction using both his main camera and his phone. He said the aggressors initially tried to avoid being filmed, turning their faces away. However, one individual continued approaching him, eventually grabbing his phone and interrupting the recording.
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Despite police being present at the scene, they did not immediately intervene, a pattern that has left Bezirgan deeply frustrated. “Canadian police are very conservative when it comes to laying charges or making arrests. I’ve reported this same individual before, and still, he was allowed to walk free after grabbing my phone and physically harassing me,” he said. Bezirgan called for the deportation of the attacker, pointing out that the individual is a foreign national interfering with the rights and safety of a Canadian citizen. “This man is from the U.K., not even a Canadian. What is he doing threatening me in my own country while I’m simply doing my job?”
Even after police warned the stalker to back off, the harassment continued, Bezirgan added. He said the individual followed him persistently throughout the parade and even after he left the area. “I was walking away, he was walking too. I stopped, he stopped. I crossed the street, he followed. He was behind me constantly, even after I distanced myself.” Fearing for his safety, Bezirgan eventually called 911 and informed them of the ongoing threat. He also reminded them of prior complaints he had filed against the same person. Police officers then arrived, recorded his statement, and escorted him to safety. “Even as I left for the train station, he was following me on a bicycle,” he recalled.
Bezirgan criticised the attempt by Khalistani supporters to frame the incident online as a journalist avoiding hard questions. “They’re spreading disinformation, claiming I’m scared of dialogue. But this wasn’t a conversation. I was surrounded, threatened, and physically assaulted. That’s not civil discourse — that’s intimidation.”
In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Bezirgan shared “I’ve been surrounded by a group of Khalistanis who grabbed my phone out of my hand and threatened me. Naturally I’m a bit shaken, but not deterred. Footage coming.” Bezirgan reiterated his commitment to independent journalism, saying that no amount of threats or violence would stop him from reporting the truth. “It’s shaken me, yes. But I won’t be silenced.”
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