US: Sikh youth assaulted on New York bus speaks out about targeted turban attack
New York, October 19: A 19-year-old Sikh boy, who was viciously attacked on a New York City bus, expressed his shock and anger at the assault, emphasising that nobody should suffer harassment based on their appearance.
In a statement released by The Sikh Coalition, the young man stated, "I am shaken and angered by this attack. I believe that no one should be assaulted or harassed because of how they look, and everyone should be able to go about their business in public in peace."
While the victim wished to maintain his privacy, he expressed gratitude to individuals from various communities who have offered their support and to the authorities taking the hate crime seriously. According to The Sikh Coalition, the young Sikh man was repeatedly struck on a New York City MTA bus, with his turban deliberately targeted, and the perpetrator using xenophobic language throughout the incident.
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The Sikh Coalition has connected with the young man to provide legal aid and other support and is in ongoing conversation with both the victim and the New York Police Department (NYPD) regarding the investigation into the attacker. Sikh Coalition Staff Attorney Amreen Partap Singh Bhasin remarked, "Given that this young Singh's turban was insulted and targeted during the attack, we are heartened that this incident is being investigated as a hate crime."
Bhasin also noted the anxiety prevalent in Sikh and other communities, citing the murder of a six-year-old Palestinian American boy in Illinois amid ongoing Israel-Palestine tensions. She clarified that while there may not be a direct link between this attack and external events, Sikhs are disproportionately at risk for such incidents, as highlighted by recent FBI hate crime data.
The FBI's annual report on hate crimes for 2022 revealed an alarming rise in religiously motivated hate crime victimizations, with anti-Sikh hate crime victimizations hitting an all-time high at 198 cases. Sikhs remain the second-most targeted group in the nation for religiously motivated hate crimes. The report also indicated increased victimizations for other faith communities, with 1,217 anti-Jewish hate crimes, 200 anti-Islamic hate crimes, and 29 anti-Hindu hate crimes.
- With inputs from agencies
