Five charged with harassing, beating Sikh in US

[Judi Lynn]

Five charged with harassing, beating Sikh in US
Press Trust of India
New York, July 29

Police have charged five persons with harassing and beating a Sikh in a suburb of New York, after hurling insults on him and his companion in a 'hate crime'.
They could get up to 15 years in prisons if convicted.

In the July 12 incident, Rajinder Singh Khalsa, 54, suffered multiple cuts, bruises and broken nose in Richmond section of Queens, a suburb of New York, which has substantial immigrant population.

Khalsa, along with his cousin Gurcharan Singh, was walking towards a restaurant, Tandoori Express, owned by Singh after parking their car, when they were confronted by apparently drunken men who ridiculed their turbans calling them 'dirty curtain' and asking them to take them off.

When Khalsa tried to explain that they were Sikhs and their turbans were their religious symbol, the accused started beating, kicking and hitting him till he fell unconscious.
(snip/...)

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_914578,00050001.htm

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Queens, NY – UNITED SIKHS is currently investigating an alleged bias crime that occurred in Queens (Richmond Hill), NY. The victim, 54 year old Rajinder Singh Khalsa, was walking to the Tandoori Express Restaurant with his cousin when a group of Caucasian males in their 20s began to harass and taunt the two Sikhs, using references to September 11th and aimed derogatory remarks towards their turbans, a required article of faith for a Sikh. Rajinder Singh Khalsa attempted to explain the religious significance to the Caucasian males, who ignored his explanation and proceeded to physically assault him. He was beaten unconscious and was found to have multiple broken bones, including facial and fractures of the eye socket.

A detailed list of the events, obtained from Rajinder Singh and Gurcharan Singh (the victims), and Mohinder Singh (associate of the victims) of Queens are as follows:

Ø The owner of Tandoori Express (Gurcharan Singh) and Rajinder Singh Khalsa were making their way to Tandoori Express by car (Gurcharan Singh had invited Rajinder Singh to tea at Tandoori Express).

Ø Unable to find parking on 101 Street (where Tandoori Express is located), they parked on the intersecting road, Lefferts Blvd, which is where the restaurant Villa Russo is on.

Ø 2 Caucasian males and 1 Caucasian female were standing in front of the Villa Russo restaurant. The males were intoxicated.

Ø Upon Gurcharan Singh getting out of the car, one of the Caucasian males taunted Gurcharan Singh by saying, “Give me back my curtain”. Gurcharan Singh responded, “This is not your curtain. This is my turban”.

Ø The Caucasian males proceeded to continue with insults alluding to September 11.

Ø Rajinder Singh tried to intervene and explain that the turban is a required article of faith of the Sikhs, which had nothing to do with September 11. Gurcharan Singh took this opportunity to call 911. This action infuriated the Caucasian males present and they began to insult the Sikhs’ families.

Ø An elder Caucasian male, who was standing by an automobile, walked over and said to Gurcharan Singh that because he had called 911, he would kill Gurcharan Singh. Gurcharan Singh noted the license plate number of the automobile that the elder Caucasian male was standing next to after this threat. This further infuriated the Caucasian males.
(snip)

http://www.unitedsikhs.org/us-na/sacred/ny/NR_rhill_07122004.htm

Please click these links to see photos of the beaten man.

http://www.unitedsikhs.org/us-na/sacred/ny/NR_rhill_07122004.htm

http://www.unitedsikhs.org/us-na/sacred/ny/NR_rhill_07122004.htm

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Multiethnic Coalition Responds to Hate Crime Against Sikh in Queens, NY
Cross-references: Hate Crimes and Violence Support and Solidarity Sikhs Reach Out

• On July 18, 2004 New York Daily News reported, "Last Sunday's senseless attack on a Sikh man - a 54-year-old father and community leader - in Richmond Hill, Queens, was the latest reminder that prejudice and hate are alive and well on the streets of New York... That is why on Thursday, almost 100 people in a diverse, multiethnic coalition of more than two dozen civil rights organizations, Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, Queens Borough President Helen Marshall and other leaders and groups gathered on the steps of the Queens Borough Hall to denounce the attack on the Sikh community and demand justice... Pu-Folkes, who coordinated the protest, said the community demanded that police be more responsive to hate crimes against immigrants and that the attackers be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, 10 bias incidents have been reported to the Richmond Hill 102nd Precinct, but no one has been prosecuted."
(July 18, 2004, New York Daily News)
(snip/...)

http://www.pluralism.org/news/index.php?xref=Rajinder+Singh+Khalsa+Beating&sort=DESC

[thebigidea]

1. Morons...

one of the things that made me even more depressed after 9/11 were the scared looks on Sikh faces in their restaurants... they would plaster flags and so forth all over the place in an effort to discourage idiots from thinking they were terrorists or something because of their turbans.

[ablbodyed]

3. I have a similar event to>>>>

discuss. I work in a small town in a large northeastern state. There is a Coast Guard base here. There is also one Sikh family living here. one day I was out delivering the mail when a CG truck stopped and they (young guys) asked me about the buy in the funny hat, asked in an accusatory way. I told them that he had been here for several years, was very nice, a citizen, and not an Arab, but someone who wore a turban because of his religion. They seemed disappointed and drove off.
Sim;letons, yes, but THERE ARE SO MANY OF THEM.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

9. Every kabab house and falafel shack in CT put flages EVERYWHERE in an

attempt to say "don't kill me"

very sad

This is what makes me ashamed of many of my fellow Murkans

[izzie]

2. Sikhs? I guess any one have to worry if you are different.

Some times I think the KKK is back.I read once that they were the best fighters we had in Korean War. I thought they were pretty neat people.

[HawkerHurricane]

4. Sikhs? Thier lucky to be alive...

The Sikhs lived on the old 'border' between the Muslims and Hindus... as such, thier one of the most militant tribes in the world (along with the Gurkha). Thier religion requires all males to be 'armed'... usually with knives, which they are taught to use at a early age. They are very good with those knives; if two Sikhs got beat up they showed remarkable self restraint.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

10. Got news for ya - the KKK never left

they still exist all over the country

[Kinkistyle]

5. GRRRR....

Man, I wish me and 4 of my friends happened to be walking by during that night.

[The Stranger]

6. But Arch Bigot Ashcroft told everyone to be "vigilant",

or was it racist and bigoted?

[Dhalgren]

7. I have an incident to relate that has similar overtones.

I was coming out of the Wal Mart store not far from my home (ok, it's an embarrassment, but there it is). A young man (early 20's) was standing on the sidewalk beside the parkinglot drive-through. He appeared to be of Middle-Eastern extraction, but could have been Indian. Three rednecks (this is Alabama, so when I say "redneck", I mean REDNECK) were driving by and stopped in front of the young man. One of the rednecks leaned out the car window and asked the young man, "Hey, are you Osama's nephew or somethin'?" Yeah, how stupid can you get? The young man smiled and said, no, he wasn't. The redneck then said, "Well, you sure look like it." At this point I walked up and stood beside the young man and I glared my meanest glare at the morans (I am a pretty big guy - 6-1, 210). They just laughed and tried to "burn rubber", but failed, as they drove off. I looked at the young manand shook my head. "Redneck morons." I said. He thanked me profusely and I left. It just made me sick - there are certain elements in this country that I hold beneath contempt - and, gods, that element seems to be growing.

[Judi Lynn]

8. New day, new Sikh story! This is getting wierd.

Friday, July 30, 2004

Sikh Student At Boston College Says His Appearance Led To Search


BOSTON -- A Boston College student who wears the turban and full beard of his Sikh religion believes Secret Service agents detained and interrogated him for hours because of his appearance.

Sundeep Sahni, a senior with a double major in computer science and finance, said Secret Service agents approached him and two friends after he was stopped by campus police on Saturday. He was taking pictures of buildings on campus at the time.

Sahni, 21, said the agents, who were staying on campus during the Democratic National Convention, searched him and his car for weapons and bombs.

He said one agent told him, "I don't want you pulling an Uzi from your turban."
(snip/...)

http://www3.whdh.com/news/articles/local/B49174/

What's next?

[struggle4progress]

11. kick for intolerant Bushista thugs

:kick: