Gym staff in Canada ask to let a Sikh man hold a kirpan.
A Sikh creator has accused staff at a GoodLife Fitness gym in Windsor, Canada, of discrimination after he was asked to leave the facility for carrying a kirpan, a ceremonial dagger worn by some Sikhs as part of their faith.The incident, which was recorded and shared on TikTok by Gurpartap Singh khalsa, has drawn huge attention online. Khalsa claims that he was subjected to “racial discrimination” because of the religious symbol he was wearing.In the video, a GoodLife Fitness employee told Khalsa that another gym member had raised concerns after he noticed the kirpan. She explained that, due to concerns about the safety of staff and other members, she asked him to leave the privately run facility.
“What I’m saying is you have a gun on you,” the employee says in the footage. “A member has brought the matter to my attention, and for my safety and the safety of everyone at the gym, I ask that you leave.Khalsa questions the logic during the exchange, asking if the staff thinks he poses a threat because of his religious article. He also points out that he was allowed into the gym without a problem and accuses the employee of treating him unfairly.
The employee responds that the gym is a private business and reserves the right to deny access.Khalsa later posted the video online, identifying the location as the GoodLife Fitness club on Dougal Street, and claiming the incident amounted to racial discrimination.The clip sparked mixed reactions online, with some users supporting concerns about safety at the gym while others argued that kirpan is a protected faith.“It’s not racist to ask them not to bring a gun to the gym, even if they try to rename it as a religious symbol,” one user commented. This incident comes weeks after a lawsuit was filed in a British court involving Vikram Dhigoa, who was convicted of the murder of 16-year-old Henry Novak. During the trial, it was stated that although Dijoa had a ceremonial kirpan, the fatal attack used a larger dagger and not the religious item itself.
