With Oriental immigration again on the increase in 1914, the arrival of the Komagata Maru in Vancouver with a shipload of prospective East Indian immigrants touched off violent demonstrations in Vancouver. Although the East Indians argued that they were British subjects and that many had professional qualifications, immigration authorities denied the group permission to land in the coast province. The group pictured here are obviously immigrants of some substance. Many were professionals that Canada badly needed, but that did not prevent the immigration authorities from refusing them entry.
