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A Halifax man says he was the victim of a racist tirade Saturday afternoon after a man intentionally struck his car with the bagpipes he was carrying and shouted racist language at him.
Shalu Shajan, an immigrant from India, told CBC News he had just parked his car on Lower Water Street in downtown Halifax near Prince Street.
He said a man carrying bagpipes walked over to his car and struck his side mirror with part of the instrument.
“I immediately got out and told him that he had hit my car,” Shajan said. “Instead of leaving, he walked back and struck the trunk of my car as well.”
Shajan said a verbal confrontation ensued and the man became increasingly aggressive and threatening.
According to Shajan, the man began shouting racist language at him and telling him “go back to your country.”
“I then realized he has something to do with my race,” Shajan said.
Eyewitness Raven Fox said he and his girlfriend were walking up Prince Street when they saw the incident unfold.
Fox confirmed that there was a loud verbal confrontation between the two men.
“He yelled out loud, ‘You’ve got your PR yet?’ So there was clearly some odd racial bias going on there,” Fox said, referring to permanent resident status in Canada.
Fox said the man carrying the bagpipes appeared to deliberately strike Shajan’s car.
“It was just very disheartening to hear that coming from a place that’s seemingly known for being so kind-hearted and welcoming, and … to a person of colour as well,” Fox said.
Shajan said the man was shouting just inches from his face and he was worried that the altercation would turn physical.
He said when he took out his phone to call 911, the man walked away toward the waterfront.
Shajan said he later took a photograph of the man and reported the incident to Halifax Regional Police and their hate crime unit.
He subsequently posted about the encounter in a public Facebook post.
A police spokesperson confirmed that a report had been made and the hate crime unit was determining if the interaction was hate-motivated.
Shajan said the hate crime unit contacted him and asked him if he believed the incident was a hate crime.
He said he told the police the man was directing racist language at him and he thought it was hate-motivated.
Shajan said police asked him if he wished to press charges.
“I said, well, yes, because you know, nobody should go through it,” Shajan said.
Statistics Canada data indicates that reported hate crimes targeting South Asian Canadians have increased steadily in recent years.
In 2021 there were 167 reported incidents across the country. That number grew to 483 in 2025.
The Indo-Canadian Association of Nova Scotia told CBC News that while they could not comment on this specific incident, the group is deeply concerned by yet another racist incident targeting a member of the Indian diaspora.
“Incidents of hate have consequences that extend far beyond the immediate victim,” vice-president Monica Rai Dua said in an email to CBC News.
“The impact of even a single act of hate can be felt by families, newcomers, international students, and generations of Canadians who simply want to live safely and contribute to their communities in Nova Scotia.”
While he has experienced racist comments in the past, Saturday was the first time he feared for his physical safety, Shajan said.
He said he decided to post about his experience on Facebook publicly to help the police with their investigation and to ensure the person is held accountable.
“I just thought I should stand up against it … you don’t want [that] happening to somebody else.”
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