Pepper Spray, Kirpans, Gun : 11 Injured In Violent Clashes Between Sikhs At German Gurudwara (VIDEO)
Videos of Sikh men brandishing ceremonial knives and throwing punches at each other inside a gurudwara in western Germany made the rounds on social media on Tuesday.
The brawl took place in the the city of Moers on Sunday, but caught the attention of Indian media and social media users on Tuesday morning.
Reports said the physical altercation, involving about 40 men from the Sikh community, broke out over the election of a new board of directors of the temple. The dispute involved various groups claiming the donation funds for themselves.
German daily tabloid Bild cited a 56-year-old eyewitness as saying: "shortly before the service began, the attackers suddenly had pepper spray and sprayed their opponents. Then one of them fired a pistol. And I also saw knives."
Shocking scenes from Gurdwara Duisburg, Germany:
— Allen Hampton (@Hamp_Allen) April 20, 2026
Sikhs fighting inside sacred space, turbans flying, kirpans drawn on each other over Golak money, and a forced takeover by the previous management, who lost the election.
This violence isn't random. It's the direct result of… pic.twitter.com/47h4lni6w1
The knives in question were "kirpans" — a ceremonial dagger some Sikh men and women carry on their persons. It is meant to represent their duty to uphold justice and righteousness.
As per reports, at least 11 people were hurt, largely experiencing head injuries. No one died.
Special law enforcement units were called in and a police helicopter was deployed on the day of the incident. Authorities later confirmed that no armed suspect was found but an investigation was ongoing to determine who instigated the attack.
