Houston, Texas : December 12, 2008 – Earlier this week, SALDEF Southern Regional Director Bobby Singh spoke with long-time friend and Harris County, Texas Sheriff-elect Adrian Garcia and invited him to attend a meeting at the Sikh Center of Houston on Sunday December 14, 2008. Harris County Organized in response to the bias-based harassment of a Sikh American family by Harris County police earlier this month, the meeting will be a critical opportunity for Sheriff-elect Garcia to address the concerns of the local Sikh American community and reassure them that he will enforce a policy of zero-tolerance for ethnic profiling and police brutality. What: Harris County Sheriff-Elect Elect Adrian Garcia to meet with the Sikh American Community Where: Sikh Center of Houston (8819 Praire Drive, Houston, Texas 77064) When: Sunday December 14, 2008 at 12:30pm Earlier this month, in the course of investigating the burglary of a Sikh American family’s home, Harris County police officials made suggestive remarks to the family about Muslims, terrorism and the Mumbai terrorist attacks. When the police officials noticed a family member wearing a kirpan, they pointed a taser gun at her head. Ultimately, police officials handcuffed multiple family members, including a sixty-year-old woman. SALDEF asks members of the community to sign the Sikh Coalition Petition to ensure that your voice is heard. SALDEF encourages all Houston- and Texas-based members of the Sikh American community to visit the Sikh Center of Houston this Sunday, December 14, 2008 to express their outrage about this incident and encourage greater partnership between police officials and the local Sikh American community. Please forward to your Sangat Members
