SALDEF to conduct training in response to incident at Statue of Liberty Washington D.C., June 7, 2006 – The National Park Service has apologized to Gurvinderpal Singh and his other Sikh American friends for the inappropriate actions of the security staff at the Statue of Liberty in January 2006. In response to a complaint of harassment and misconduct filed by the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), the National Park Service (NPS) will be conducting cultural awareness training about Sikhs for their supervisors and staff. In her response to SALDEF’s complaint, NPS Regional Director Mary Bomar apologized “for any mistreatment of Mr. Gurvinderpal Singh and his colleagues”, and indicated how their security policy “does not excuse a disrespectful attitude on the part of our staff.” Additionally, Director Bomar wrote that, “We demand a high standard for all who work at the Statue of Liberty and the need for sensitivity to different cultural and religious beliefs is paramount. Anything less than a respectful attitude is totally unacceptable.” On January 16, 2006 during a visit to the Statue of Liberty, Mr. Gurvinderpal Singh and eight fellow Sikh Americans were harassed by security personnel for wearing their kirpans – a religious article of faith – and “appearing suspicious”. Upon entering the security gates, the group was initially worried about wearing their kirpans and calmly inquired as to what they should do with their articles of faith. The security guards immediately became hostile and told them they would not be allowed to pass through with their kirpans and told them that the kirpans could not be left in the guard’s possession because they would be confiscated. The group eventually left the security gates to place their kirpans in their vehicle; however, when they came back and attempted to go through the security gates, the nine Sikh Americans were harassed and treated like criminals. According to Gurvinderpal Singh’s account of the incident, “I took off my kirpan, and when I gave it to my friend to put it in the car I felt as if a part of me had died and I felt like breaking down and crying. I was eaten up with guilt.” These nine Sikh Americans were denied the ability to practice their faith freely and openly. Furthermore, the National Park Service security guards became hostile towards the group; treating them with suspicion and as criminals. Feeling humiliated by this treatment, Gurvinderpal Singh contacted SALDEF to address this incident of harassment. In a letter addressed to the National Parks Service Director and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, SALDEF noted that, “[c]onstitutionally, United States citizens have the right to free exercise of religion and any act of discrimination must undergo strict scrutiny. Though in this time of heightened security, measures can and certainly must be taken to prevent terrorist attacks, such hostile action should not be directed towards innocent people who are cooperative and transparent about their role as tourists. The Sikh Americans in this case were aboveboard with the information that they were Sikhs and were wearing their articles of faith. They were obliging in removing their Kirpan, an article of faith, to avoid possible violation of the security system, regardless of the emotional distress that it caused them to do so.” Along with the apology, NPS has agreed to work with US Department of Justice Community Relations Service and SALDEF to conduct separate Sikh cultural awareness trainings for the 100 supervisors in charge of security at other tourist attractions in the New York City/New Jersey area. This is a vital step in the continued protection of the 25 million Sikhs across the world who may visit New York City as tourists. The National Parks Service has undertaken a formal investigation into the incident in question and has said they will take appropriate actions with specific individuals. If you or anyone you know have been the victim of a similar incident or have experienced harassment of some kind, please contact SALDEF immediately so that the Sikh American can continue living without fear. PLEASE distribute this to your family, friends and at the local Gurdwara.
National Park Service Apologizes to Sikh; Institutes Cultural Awareness Training for Supervisors
For Immediate Release: March 31, 2006 Tri-State residents encouraged to attend event featuring officials from federal, state and local agencies Washington D.C. – The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) and the management of the Tri-State Sikh Cultural Society have invited several federal, state and local officials to participate in a community forum for the Sikh community in the greater tri-state area. The Sikh American community is encouraged to attend this event with their children so that they may be informed about their rights when encountering different federal and state agencies. Confirmed participants include representatives from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Monroeville police Department and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. Invitations have also been extended to the United States Attorney’s Office and the Pennsylvania Governor’s Advisory Commission on Asian American Affairs. The purpose of this event is to aid Sikh Americans in learning how to correctly respond to all forms of discrimination, hate crimes and bias-motivated incidents and bullying and harassment of school children. This forum will provide Sikh Americans with the crucial knowledge on appropriate responses and actions to take to protect and exercise their constitutional rights. SALDEF encourages all residents of the greater Tri-state area to attend. We thank the management and community members of the Tri-State Sikh Cultural Society for supporting and co-sponsoring this event. When: Saturday, April 8, 2006 Time: 3 pm – 5 pm Where: Tri-State Cultural Society Bedford 4407 McKenzie Drive Monroeville, PA 15146 For more information about this forum please go click here.
SALDEF Contacts Law Enforcement Officials Demanding Swift and Thorough Action Washington, DC – On December 22, 2005, the members of Guru Angad Darbar Gurdwara (place of congregational worship), located in Bakersfield, CA, awoke to find two pig heads thrown in front of the Gurdwara. Additionally, a week and a half prior to this incident, eggs were thrown at the Gurdwara building as well. These unfortunate incidents are not an uncommon experience for Sikhs across the country. Three days later on Christmas morning, a Sikh American cab driver, Gurpartap Singh of El Sobrante, was fatally shot as he dropped off his fare in Richmond, CA. The tragic shooting of this innocent Sikh is unfortunately not the first incident of its kind in the East Bay. On July 2, 2003 a 23 year old gentleman, Gurpreet Singh, was also murdered as he drove his taxicab. Additionally, on July 5, 2003 another Sikh man, Inderjit Singh was shot at point blank range while picking up a fare in a similar location to the shooting of Gupreet Singh just three days earlier. Following those incidents in 2003, The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), worked with local law enforcement and civic officials to address the concerns of the Sikh community and the cab drivers. On December 30, 2005, SALDEF spoke with Bakersfield Police Chief Bill Rector about the case and received a progress update on the investigation. The Bakersfield PD has taken this case very seriously, and besides having some strong leads in the case, they also are ensuring that they investigate thoroughly to determine a motive. Additionally, SALDEF has contacted the Police Chief, Mayor and City Attorney of Richmond to express our outrage at the incident and to insure that a full investigation is conducted to ensure what if motive of the crime was indeed bias related. These incidents, along with many other violent crimes against Sikhs in the Bay Area, have caused significant distress and increased a sense of concern among the Sikh community in regards to the safety of themselves and their families. Since the September 11, 2001 attacks, Sikh Americans have a tremendous increase in hate crimes. FBI statistics show that the number of post-9/11 hate crimes increased three fold from 2001 to 2004. Sikh American Cab drivers and convenience store clerks are particularly vulnerable due to their heightened exposure and high-risk employment. SALDEF offers our condolences to the family of Gurpartap Singh and ask that the entire Sikh American community keep them in your prayers, especially during the holiday season. Additionally, a trust is being set up for Sukhvinder Kaur – Gurpratap Singhs’ widow. While specifics are not yet available, anyone interested in donating to this fund should contact SALDEF at: info@saldef.org to do so. If you or anyone you know becomes the victim of a hate incident, please report it immediately to SALDEF at: info@saldef.org or by reporting it on our website. SALDEF has strong working relationships with law enforcement agencies across the nation and will ensure that the appropriate agency is notified of the incident. You can also contact SALDEF at 202-393-2700. To help the community better respond to an incident, SALDEF has developed the Know What To Do Guide; a handy pocket guide that details the steps that should be taken in the event of a hate crime, discrimination in the workplace, or racial profiling, and states your rights as an airline passenger. Please print and distribute the pocket guide at your local Gurdwara, as well as to your local community, family and friends. To order the pocket guides from SALDEF, please send an email to: education@saldef.org.
On April 26, over 100 law enforcement officials attended SALDEF’s “Sikhism 101 for Law Enforcement” training in Manchester, CT. The U.S. Attorney for Connecticut, Kevin O’Connor, delivered the opening remarks before SALDEF National Director Preetmohan Singh conducted the training at Manchester Community College. In addition to local and state officials, other attendees included representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Transportation Security Administration (airport screeners). The U.S. Department of Justice Community Relations Service organized the training, which also included presentations from the Anti-Defamation League, a national Jewish civil rights organization, and the Muslim community. The training is part of SALDEF’s Law Enforcement Partnership Program which has trained over 6,500 local, state, and federal law enforcement officials about effectively partnering with the Sikh American community to build better relationships and prevent hate crimes.
Washington, DC – Attorney General Alberto Gonzales met with SALDEF National Director Preetmohan Singh and other national civil rights leaders on April 13 to discuss further strengthening the relationship with government agencies and leading national organizations. Mr. Gonzales, who was confirmed by the U.S. Senate last month, recognized SALDEF and others’ educational outreach and government relations efforts and expressed an interest in continued collaboration. “We are glad Attorney General Gonzales took the time to meet with us so shortly after he was confirmed,” said Mr. Singh. “We see this as a continuation of the many collaborative efforts we have engaged in with top government officials to ensure that all Americans are treated respectfully and fairly when they interact with federal agencies.” The meeting’s discussion included updates by and for SALDEF on law enforcement training, travel guidelines, and pending investigations. The meeting was facilitated by R. Alexander Acosta, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, whose office has coordinated regular federal interagency meetings to address government actions and services. Federal agencies represented at the meeting included component agencies of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Justice Community Relations Service (CRS), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), State Department, and others. SALDEF met with former Attorney General John Ashcroft in June 2004 to discuss similar issues.
Washington, DC— A poster explaining Sikh head-coverings was recently produced in partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF). The poster is entitled Common Sikh American Head Coverings and provides a brief introduction to the Sikh religion and protocol to follow security screening by law enforcement officials. “[The posters] represent the Department of Justice’s continued efforts to educate government officials about the practices and beliefs of vulnerable minorities,” wrote Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, R. Alexander Acosta, in a letter to SALDEF. “Not only does this lead to greater understanding, but it also helps our officers do their jobs better. Thank you for your assistance in developing these posters and bringing this project to fruition.” The full-color, glossy posters are 24 inches long and 18 inches wide. They were produced following SALDEF’s regular participation in meetings with Assistant Attorney General Acosta’s working group about post-9/11 issues. The DOJ has produced 10,000 copies of the posters, which will be distributed to local, state and federal law enforcement officials. “We are extremely pleased that the DOJ not only took the initiative to produce these posters but will be distributing them to law enforcement officials across the country,” said SALDEF National Director Preetmohan Singh. “Our Law Enforcement Partnership Program has trained thousands of first-responders and this will reinforce information for some and provide a straight-forward introduction for others.” To view a copy of the poster, please click here.
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Community Oriented Policing Service (COPS) recently invited SMART to present its Sikhism 101 for Law Enforcement training program as part of its annual conference in Kansas City, MO. SMART’s National Director Preetmohan Singh presented the curriculum introducing law enforcement officials to the Sikh faith and its articles of faith. The audience included representatives from police departments, community-based organizations, and other faith groups from across the nation involved with the COPS program. This curriculum has already been presented to over 4,000 law enforcement officials, with over 90 percent of them stating that it will help them better perform their duties. SMART is working with COPS to further expand this training to increase effective partnerships between the law enforcement and Sikh communities nationally.
The New York Police Department has dropped it opposition to Sikh Americans from serving with their turbans and uncut beards, mandatory articles of the Sikh faith. Jasjit Singh Jaggi had filed a complaint last year with the Commission on Human Rights accusing the New York Police Department of religious discrimination. He claimed he was forced to resign because he refused to shave his beard and stop wearing a turban. The commission ordered the police department to reinstate Jaggi last month, and the city had until Thursday to appeal the ruling. The city of New York decided to not appeal the decision by the Commission on Human Rights. Jasjit Singh Jaggi will now be reinstated to serve as traffic officer for the New York Police Department (NYPD) after appropriate accomodations have been worked out. Also, NY Newsday reported yesterday that the city of New York would settle a lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court, by Amric Singh Rathour, over the same issue. Addtionally, Jagjit Singh became the first turbaned Sikh to graduate from the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department’s program for reserve officers. SMART congratulates the efforts of Panthic Cause, Sikh Coalition and the California Sikh Council for their support of these Sikhs in their quest to serve in law enforcement. SMART has trained over 5,000 local, state, and federal officers through its Law Enforcement Partnership Program and can now refer future trainees to uniformed Sikh police officers in the United States.
SMART’s Western Regional Director Kavneet Singh recently testified before the California State Assembly Select Committee on Hate Crimes. The session was organized by the Applied Research Center and entitled, “California Civil Rights in an Era of National Security.” Attendees included representatives of the Asian Pacific, Black and Latino Legislative Caucuses. The event was organized to create a public record of the impact of national security policies on communities of color in California, assess the impact of some national security policies on civil rights, and explore policies to ensure protection for all California residents. SMART conducted the briefings at the State Capitol with representatives of the ACLU, California Human Relations Commissions, public policy advocates, and other civil rights organizations. If you would like to become more active with SMART’s legislative efforts, please email us at legislation@sikhmediwatch.org.
Following racist graffiti at a Fresno, CA Gurdwara earlier this year, SMART National Director Preetmohan Singh recently accompanied local representatives from the Sikh American community at a meeting with the city’s police chief. Participants discussed building better relationships between law enforcement and the Sikh American community through increased awareness, protocol, and strategies for successful engagement between both groups. Following the meeting, which also included four of the five district commanders for the city, Fresno officials requested and received 1,000 of SMART’s Law Enforcement Reference Cards. This pocket-sized card provides police officers recommendations about protocol for effectively working with the Sikh American community. SMART and the Fresno Sikh American community are also working on implementing plans to reduce bullying and harassment faced by Sikh American students in public schools.