Last Friday, a Sikh man was shot and injured in the driveway of his home after allegedly being told, “Go back to your country.” The FBI is working with the local police department in Kent, Washington to investigate the incident as a hate crime and locate the gunman. The Sikh man, who wishes to remain unidentified, was released from the hospital yesterday.
This incident followed a surge of attacks on our communities. Just two weeks ago, two Indian men were shot, one of which was killed, at a bar in Olathe, Kansas after the shooter asked the men “if [they] were legal.” In the immediate aftermath of the November election, nearly a thousand incidents of harassment and intimidation were reported across the nation.
We stand firmly against the xenophobic and anti-immigrant rhetoric used by our elected officials that has led to an uptick in these violent acts. As an organization dedicated to upholding the civil rights and social justice of all, SALDEF will continue to work towards a safe and secure climate for us all.
We will be launching a series of Know Your Rights Forums in gurdwaras across the country beginning in Durham, North Carolina on March 26th, 2017. The purpose of the Know Your Rights Forums is to (1) introduce Sikh American community members to agencies and groups that can address complaints, incidents, or issues and (2) provide local, state and federal governmental agencies the opportunity to build relationships with and address the specific needs of their local Sikh American community.
We encourage community members to report any hate crimes and bias incidents to SALDEF.
**Please Share this Announcement on Email and Social Media, and Post at your Local Gurdwara. Thank You.**