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On May 23, 2022, New York government officials joined the Sikh community and rallied on the steps of Queens Borough Hall in the City of New York to demand accountability. The officials who answered the call from UNITED SIKHS to stand with Sikh community each stated publicly and unequivocally that they are against those who due to racial animosity harass, assault and perpetrate heinous crimes against Sikhs.
Those officials who answered UNITED SIKHS’ invitation to stand with the Sikh community included the Honorable New York State Governor, Kathy Hochul through her representative, Commissioner of the New York State Division of Human Rights, Maria Imperial. The Honorable Donovan Richards, Queens Borough President, the Honorable Grace Meng, Congress Member (NY 6th District) and the Honorable Sandra Ung, New York City Council member, District 20, also joined in this call for justice.
UNITED SIKHS representatives Gurpreet Singh, CEO, Inderjeet Singh, Community Relations and Teji Bains, Esq., special volunteer denounced hate crimes and called for greater data reporting by law enforcement.
Inderjeet Singh stated in his speech before the crowd that hate crime evades solutions and that “the experience is compounded by hopelessness that seeps down from our institutions.” He stated that the Sikhs brought the message to the steps of Queens Borough Hall because it is the Borough with the most Sikhs. The Honorable Borough President Richards echoed that sentiment saying “Sikhs belong here!”
Congress member Grace Meng, the sponsor of recent legislation that brought national attention to hate crimes against the Asian community following the COVID-19 pandemic, agreed that more hate crimes data collection and reporting is necessary. She also stated that creating avenues for victims to safely report in their own languages is also a goal.
Queens leaders denounced racial, ethnic and gender hate and the beliefs that inspire them and asked that our law enforcement officers take the hate crimes epidemic that has plagued our communities very seriously.
The crowd prayed for the Sikh community and held a moment of silence for the Buffalo, New York community that had only recently lost members to a brutal, race-hate massacre at the hands of gun man police have identified as a white supremacist. Inderjeet Singh stated that the Sikh community in Richmond Hill, NY has seen at least five members assaulted and even robbed at gunpoint near their homes in the last two months alone.
Victims of recent hate crimes in Richmond Hill were present at the rally and were introduced to leaders. We applaud their courage and resolve to see an end to violence. Congress member Meng stated that children should also be allowed to go to school and not fear being harmed.
Thank you Governor Hochul, Commissioner Maria Imperial, Borough President Richards, Congressmember Meng and Council member Sandra Ung for your presence at this important event.
We also thank our Sikh community leaders Harpreet Singh Toor , Japneet Singh , Jatinder Singh Boporai (President-Sikh Cultural Society) , Mohinder Singh (from Baba Makhan Shah Lobana Gurdwara), Pritpal Walia (from Gurdwara Sant Sagar), Rajwinder Kaur (Rosy), Teji Bains Esq for Congressman Tom Suozzi for joining us in this event.
Finally, to our community, we want to know if you experience a hate incident or crime. Please reach us at: contact@unitedsikhs.org. |
