In early March, several sites frequented by Montreal's Chinese and Vietnamese communities were vandalized. Police are investigating the incidents as religious hate crimes. Kinh-Luyen Huynh's father was laid to rest in one of the targeted buildings. This is Huynh's story.

Earlier this month, after a long day at work, I found out about the spree of vandalism targeting Buddhist pagodas, Chinatown and Asian community centres. I read a Facebook post by an acquaintance of mine that detailed what had happened. I was shocked when I found out that the Huyen Khong Socio-Cultural Buddhist Centre, in the Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie neighbourhood, had been targeted, and that its beautiful lion statues had been demolished.

Huyen Khong means a lot to me — it is the final resting place of my father, who died in 2005 of liver cancer. He had volunteered many times there, clearing snow from the rooftops in winter and doing electrical work to light up one of the pagoda's religious icons. There are many other deceased members of the Vietnamese community resting there; both young and old rest in peace in its mausoleum.

Vietnamese death rites are quite extensive. Over 49 days, family and friends of the deceased are required to make offerings and pray so that the soul of their loved one can leave his old life behind. This requires much effort and time, but the death rites have adapted themselves to the modern world and are now done once a week for seven weeks.

The pagodas provide a space for such rites. They are a resting place for the dead and a place where families can visit and commemorate their cherished ones who have passed on.

The visits can have many intentions — sometimes, they are to seek peace and reassurance in hard times, other times they are about giving thanks and wishes of happiness to the deceased, wherever they may be.

The Huyen Khong temple includes a space where people can pray. (Jennifer Yoon/CBC)

The pagodas are a place of peace for the dead but also a vibrant place for the living. Huyen Khong is also a place where the Vietnamese community lives. Vietnamese martial arts and languages classes are held there for anyone who wishes to learn.

There is a community kitchen that serves free food on weekends and sells traditional Vietnamese food. The priests, nuns and volunteers offer spiritual guidance for those who seek it.

It also gathers money to help orphanages and other charities in Vietnam and has helped during past disasters. When the 2004 tsunami hit, the pagoda organized relief. Food, clothing, medical supplies and money were gathered in its main hall while volunteers worked hard to get them packed and ready to be sent to Asia. All of this happened just a few days after the disaster struck.

They are also places of great beauty. Beautiful statues and paintings decorate their walls while in the summer, lush gardens blooms around them. The statues, such as those vandalized, are imported from Vietnam using donations from the community, and the gardens are maintained by the volunteers. Their beauty makes the pagodas a place of peace for its visitors.

That is why the recent wave of vandalism against the Buddhist pagodas and community centres is appalling. These places are sanctuary for the dead but also places for the living to find knowledge and guidance. They are places of peace for all who visit them. It is infuriating that some people may think vandalizing these places will have an impact in the fight against COVID-19.

This statue outside the Huyen Khong Socio-Cultural Buddhist Centre was vandalized earlier this month. (Jennifer Yoon/CBC)

There have already been many attacks on Asians worldwide with racists using COVID-19 as an excuse. Innocent people were harmed because of fear. In Montreal, Korean people have been targeted. The Korean consulate in Montreal has advised Korean people to be cautious. Koreans living in Montreal have begun to fear for their safety in a city that is their home.

That is why I'm asking the people of Montreal to help us. If you have seen anything that can help the police find the culprit, please tell them. The more quickly the person or people responsible is arrested, the more quickly we send a message that such acts will not be tolerated in our society, and the more quickly people will feel safe.

I do not ask this to protect the Asian communities but to protect all communities, regardless of faith and ethnic origins. This should never happen again.

Anyone with information can contact Montreal police anonymously at 514-393-1133.