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Graffiti spray-painted on the walls of the Gurdwara in Jurupa Valley, CA. (Source: Sikh24)

Vandal of Jurupa Valley, CA, Gurdwara, arrested

August 8, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

A juvenile has been arrested in last week’s vandalism of a Gurdwara in Jurupa Valley, California, when the word “terrorist” was spray-painted on the walls of the Sikh house of worship: Investigators conducted a lengthy investigation into the vandalism that led to the arrest of a juvenile responsible for the temple vandalism. Subsequent investigation revealed that the same juvenile was also responsible for an ongoing vandalism spree that began in August of 2012, resulting in 33 separate vandalism crimes, totaling […]

Categories: Hate Crimes • Tags: California, Graffiti, hate crimes, Jurupa Valley, SALDEF, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, vandalism

"Terrorist" spray-painted on a wall at the Sikh Gurdwara of Riverside, in Jurupa Valley, California. (Source: PEBloggers)

Gurdwara near Riverside, CA, vandalized with graffiti

July 30, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Only days before the one-year anniversary of the shooting attack at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin in Oak Creek, the Sikh Gurdwara of Riverside, in Jurupa Valley, California, has been vandalized with the word “terrorist” spray-painted twice on its walls: “This is definitely a hate crime,” [Birpal Kaur, of SALDEF,] said. “It was very purposely targeted toward a minority community.” A police report was filed with the Riverside County Sheriff. Incidentally, Jurupa Valley, California, is also home to a school […]

Categories: Hate Crimes • Tags: California, Graffiti, hate crimes, Jurupa Valley, Riverside, SALDEF, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Sikh Gurdwara of Riverside, vandalism

Trayvon Martin. (Source: Straight from the A.)

Not all of us are Trayvon Martin

July 16, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

In spite of the media’s obsession about the case, I had not followed closely the trial of George Zimmerman, a Florida man of mixed ethnic heritage charged with second degree murder in the shooting death of unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, an African American, in February, 2012. I was repulsed from the sensationalizing of this tragedy by the media for ratings, with the hours of talk by dozens of legal experts for its own sake, and particularly avoiding very salient discussions […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Hate Crimes, Reflections • Tags: George Zimmerman, hate crimes, Trayvon Martin

Attacker of WA Sikh cab driver pleads guilty to hate crime

June 28, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Last October, Jamie W. Larson severely assaulted a Sikh cab driver for whom he was a passenger near Seattle, Washington: Jamie W. Larson attacked the cab driver during an Oct. 17 ride after commenting on the man’s turban. According to charging documents, Larson, 48, tore out chunks of the man’s beard during the assault, which also loosened one of the driver’s teeth. During the attack, Larson issued various epithets and made derogatory comments about the victim’s ethnicity. As a result, was […]

Categories: Hate Crimes • Tags: Federal Way, hate crime, hate crimes, Jamie W. Larson, Seattle, Shepard-Byrd Law, taxicab, Washington State

Oak Creek, WI, Sikhs to commemorate anniversary of mass shooting in August

June 27, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

To commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Oak Creek, Wisconsin, mass shooting at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin last August, the Sikh community in Milwaukee is holding a six kilometer run/walk in memory of the six victims of the massacre: The “Chardhi Kala” run/walk will be six kilometers (3.7 miles), in memory of the six victims. “Chardhi Kala” refers to a sense of resilience and optimism. Participants can now register at http://www.chardhikala6k.org. The event will be held Aug. 3, two […]

Categories: Events, Hate Crimes • Tags: Chardhi Kala 6K, hate crimes, mass shootings, Oak Creek, Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, Wisconsin

Cartoonist Vishavjit Singh poses as Captain America in New York's Central Park. (Photo Credit: Fiona Aboud. Source: Sikhtoons)

Picture of the Day: Captain America Singh

June 12, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Vishavjit Singh, the artist behind Sikhtoons, has often opined about adding diversity to America’s pop culture superheros. In October 2012, he wrote an opinion piece for The Seattle Times in which he envisioned a super hero to fight hate crimes, and in a radio interview with National Public Radio in November, he talked about the backlash he received about this vision and of his rendering of Captain America as a Sikh man. On a recent photo shoot in New York, […]

Categories: Hate Crimes, Picture of the Day • Tags: Captain America, Central Park, Fiona Aboud, hate crimes, National Public Radio, New York, NPR, Seattle Times, Sikhtoons, Vishavjit Singh

Attacker of Fresno, CA, Sikh senior charged with hate crime

May 30, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Gilbert Garcia, who is accused of brutally attacking 82-year-old Piara Singh on May 5 as he walked home from a Gurdwara in Fresno, California, has now been also charged with a hate crime. Garcia was initially charged with attempted murder and elderly abuse as well, for which he has pleaded not guilty. Interestingly, shortly after the assault, Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer strongly suggested that the attack on Piara Singh was a hate crime, and it was reported that Garcia […]

Categories: Hate Crimes • Tags: California, Fresno, Gilbert Garcia, hate crimes, Piara Singh

Jasdeep Singh of Jakara Movement Misl Fresno discusses community engagement projects to help prevent future hate crime attacks in the community. (Source: YouTube)

A community effort against hate crimes

May 24, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Jasdeep Singh of Jakara Movement in Fresno, California, describes the community’s response to the alleged hate-motivated assault on 82-year-old Piara Singh almost two weeks ago: Animosity and hatred fester in places where people do not engage, interact and share with one another. Law enforcement can react but not prevent; the same is also true of legislation. One should not need to be “educated” or even require greater “awareness” to know not to attack innocent, elderly men. Read more at The […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Hate Crimes, Interfaith • Tags: California, Fresno, hate crimes, Jakara Movement, Jasdeep Singh, Piara Singh

President Barack Obama outlines future counter-terrorism efforts in a speech on May 23, 2013. (Source: The Washington Post)

What the President said, and didn’t say, about the Oak Creek, WI, shooting

May 23, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

In his speech today about the US government’s counter-terrorism activities and strategy, President Barack Obama made reference to home-grown radicalized “individuals”, citing explicitly the mass shooting at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin in Oak Creek last August: Finally, we face a real threat from radicalized individuals here in the United States. Whether it’s a shooter at a Sikh Temple in Wisconsin; a plane flying into a building in Texas; or the extremists who killed 168 people at the Federal Building […]

Categories: Civil Rights, Hate Crimes, Politics • Tags: Barack Obama, hate crimes, Oak Creek, Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, Terrorism, White supremacy, Wisconsin

Considering the experience of Sikhs in America.

Tag: hate crimes