A Sikh American advocacy organization has called on other faith-based organizations to work together to address the crimes committed against minority communities and their places of worship.
“As the data shows, Muslim, Jewish, Black, LGBTQ+, and other minority communities continue to experience growing threats of hate and violence,” the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) stated Tuesday
“Through allyship and collaboration we can defeat this threat of injustice against our communities,” it said in a press statement.
READ: Sikh teen in turban assaulted on NYC bus (October 18, 2023)
SALDEF said it will continue to collaborate with its partners to combat hate crimes in our places of worship and safeguard the civil rights of Sikh Americans.
“Over the past few months, our sangats (congregations) across the country and the globe have increasingly been the targets of acts of hate, harassment, and discrimination,” it stated.
These incidents range from physical assaults and online bullying to vandalism and intimidation at gurdwaras, the Sikh organization noted.
“They fit into a disturbing pattern of a record level of hate and violence against minority groups across the country,” SALDEF said urging “the Sikh community to continue to stand strong against this trend and remain vigilant.”
Recently, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released their 2022 Crimes in the Nation Statistics report recording an increase in anti-Sikh American hate crimes.
READ: Sikhs, Jews most targeted for hate crimes: FBI (February 23, 2023)
The FBI documented 198 incidents of hate crimes against the Sikh American community, which is the highest number of hate crime incidents ever recorded by the government, SALDEF stated.
“The FBI’s latest hate crimes data reveals a disturbing trend for minority and religious communities in the United States,” said Kiran Kaur Gill, Executive Director.
“The increase in reports, particularly about the Sikh community, reflects what we are seeing and hearing from sangats across the country. I want to commend the members of the community who are bravely coming forward to report these incidents, so we can tackle hate and violence. It also demonstrates that our outreach and engagement with local officials can lead to greater recognition and understanding.
“Unfortunately, we know this data is incomplete as fewer police departments than ever are reporting data to the federal government. We continue to advocate for Congress to make reporting mandatory. Without a comprehensive national picture of the problem, our country cannot fully stop hate in all forms.”
The Sikh American community continues to be the second most targeted group under religiously motivated hate crimes, SALDEF said. Furthermore, religiously motivated hate crimes increased by 17% since the FBI’s previous report in 2021.
READ: Sikh activists to rally against hate crimes in New York on June 24 (June 10, 2022)
The increase in religiously motivated hate crimes reflects a concerning outlook for Sikh Americans and other religious groups. The United States continues to grapple with its insidious level of indifference and prejudice.
SALDEF asked anyone who is or knows someone who was the target of an act of hate, discrimination, or bullying, either in person or online, to report the case to it saying such reports help it gain a better understanding of how and where anti-Sikh hate is happening.
SALDEF said it continues to work with federal and local law enforcement to address hate crimes against Sikh Americans, including training officers how to recognize anti-Sikh hate.
READ: New FBI report shows 200 percent increase in anti-Sikh hate crimes (November 13, 2019)
SALDEF has attended meetings with the White House and across the Administration, including serving on the DHS Faith-Based Advisory Council, to advocate for federal resources in combating anti-Sikh crimes.
In response to numerous acts of hate, SALDEF said it has also developed a series of resources for victims, their families, and their sangats.
Resources:
How to Report an Incident of Hate, Bias, or Bullying
Supporting Your Mental Health in Response to an Incident
Protecting Your Gurdwara and Sangat
Sikh Cultural Awareness Resources for Law Enforcement
Protecting Your Freedoms from Transnational Repression (FBI)
Responding to Threats and Intimidation (English & Punjabi) (FBI)