OTTAWA — A video showing a Sikh fitness influencer being asked to leave a Windsor gym over his religiously worn kirpan has sparked widespread online debate.
Gurpartap Singh Khalsa, a TikTok creator known for content on faith and fitness, recorded the encounter at a GoodLife Fitness location. Staff approached him over concerns about the ceremonial knife he wore as an article of faith.
In the recording, Khalsa questions the employee’s awareness, noting she did not flag the item upon his entry. The staff member states the gym is private, that a member raised the concern, and that she is asking him to leave for the safety of patrons.
The employee maintains her position despite Khalsa’s challenges, at one point stating she felt he was harassing her. He denies this and continues filming as he is removed.
Reports that the employee was fired have circulated online, but these claims could not be independently verified. The gym operator was contacted for response.
Khalsa’s videos frequently show a sheathed kirpan worn with a gatra, a shoulder sash. Observant Sikhs initiated into the Khalsa wear five articles of faith, known as the five Ks, which include uncut hair, a wooden comb, a steel bracelet, specific undergarments, and the kirpan.
The kirpan remains the most contested of these items, with wearers often asked to conceal or remove it. A 1990 school board weapons policy led to a human rights ruling that the kirpan is an article of faith permitted in schools under reasonable conditions.
In 2006, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled unanimously that total kirpan bans violate Charter religious freedom unless a non-trivial safety risk exists. Institutions must accommodate the practice accordingly.
Online reaction has been divided. Some commenters, including those identifying as Sikh, argue the gym was justified, noting the weapon should be concealed and that public display invites scrutiny.
Others within the Sikh community expressed concern that the incident fuels misperception, stressing that not all Sikhs wear visible kirpans and that smaller symbolic versions are common. Many urged respect for establishment rules while preserving religious rights.
