It happens with disgusting frequency in our Gurdwaras when conflicts develop into physical acts of violence in and around our sacred spaces. Last November, an especially violent riot took place at a Gurdwara in Yuba City, California, and just this past weekend, Sikh communities in Glen Rock, New Jersey, and in Turlock, California, bore witness to the condemnable acts of the demented.

It is unclear what the reasons of the conflict were in either case.

At the Siri Guru Singh Sabha Sikh Temple in Glen Rock, New Jersey, a large police response pre-empted violence during an escalating incident:

According to Glen Rock Police Sgt. Dean Ackerman, a dispute over “an undisclosed internal matter” at the temple was peacefully resolved when temple-goers agreed to leave the Prospect Street temple grounds. The incident occurred during a religious service. Ackerman declined to comment on how the incident developed.

Unfortunately, the incident at the Gurdwara Sahib Turlock in central California deteriorated into violence, and was captured on video:

Many in our community would like to see these incidents swept under the rug and not spoken about out of fear that it would impact negatively on our collective reputation. However, these shameful acts at our Gurdwaras that violate the very spirit and tenets of the Sikh faith are intolerable, and thus must be exposed. It is us up to each of us to ensure that there is no place for those who seek to violate the sanctity of our places of worship.