Washington D.C. (August 25, 2020) – Yesterday, SALDEF met with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director, Christopher Wray, in a listening session with representatives of national faith and non-profit organizations. The meeting was an outgrowth of the Director’s commitment to increase partner engagement with communities of faith across the country.
SALDEF Board Chair Kavneet Singh joined leaders and representatives of the Baptist, Catholic, Episcopalian, Muslim, and Mormon communities to discuss how the COVID-19 epidemic affects faith communities, the security of their people and places of worship, and the FBI’s commitment to investigating and bringing to justice those who engage in hate crimes. During the session, Mr. Singh highlighted recent incidents of bias and hate targeting the Sikh American community, including violence, hate speech at a California Gurdwara, and vandalism of a Sikh owned business.
“We appreciate and commend Director Wray and his leadership for convening these sessions at this critical time for all Americans”, said SALDEF Board Chair Kavneet Singh. “The Sikh American community has seen an increase in bias-motivated violence and vandalism in recent months. In the current environment of an economic downturn, a social justice reckoning, and an upcoming election, we look to the FBI to be ever-vigilant in their efforts to protect vulnerable communities and ensure thorough and expedient prosecution of any hate crimes.”
Among the issues raised in the session were the rise in bias-motivated incidents at places of worship, what the FBI is doing to engage in police brutality, and the use of excessive force by law enforcement agencies, how the FBI is tackling white supremacist domestic terrorism.
During the call, the Director stressed the importance of strengthening relationships and improving cultural sensitivity with officers, how best the FBI can be part of the solution and not the problem with the social justice protests across the country, and how the Bureau supports local and state law enforcement with hate crime investigations.
SALDEF is committed to empowering the Sikh American community nationwide about their rights and how to exercise them without fear or hesitation. If you or someone you know has experienced any bias motivated discrimination, violence or harassment, please fill out our intake form or call 202-393-2700 to speak with someone.