UNITED SIKHS Condemns Hate-Motivated Attack on Sikh Taxi Driver in Queens, Urges
Hate Crime Charges and Accurate Reporting
Queens, NY, August 5, 2025
On the eve of the anticipated release of the FBI’s 2024 Hate Crime Statistics, which are expected to show hate crimes at an all-time high, UNITED SIKHS is calling for urgent action following a brutal hate-motivated attack on a Sikh taxi driver in Queens. Despite 157 anti–Sikh hate crimes reported in the previous year alone, these crimes continue to be underreported and frequently misclassified due to systemic failures to properly identify, categorize, and charge bias-based incidents.
In July, 2025, a Sikh taxi driver was violently assaulted in the JFK Airport and Van Wyck Expressway area while wearing a turban, a visible symbol of his Sikh faith. The attacker allegedly yelled “Terrorist! I will kill you!” before and during the physical assault. While the assailant has been arrested, the case has not been filed with a hate crime enhancement.
“This brutal assault is yet another tragic reminder of the dangers Sikhs continue to face simply for practicing their faith,” said Inderjeet Singh, Policy Advocate at UNITED SIKHS. “The failure to apply a hate crime charge, even when there is clear evidence of bias, reflects a systemic gap in how hate crimes are handled and understood.”
On the same day as the attack, UNITED SIKHS sent a formal letter to the Queens District
Attorney’s Office urging the addition of hate crime charges under New York law. Wanda Sanchez Day, Chief Legal Officer at UNITED SIKHS, emphasized, “Bias-motivated violence impacts more than just the immediate victim, it terrorizes entire communities.”
According to the FBI’s 2023 Hate Crime Statistics, 156 anti-Sikh hate crime incidents were reported, only a slight decrease from previous years, yet still alarmingly high given the small population size of Sikh Americans. In 2022, that number reached a record high of 198, making Sikhs the second-most targeted religious group in the United States, after Jewish Americans.
This trend of violence dates back over two decades. On September 15, 2001, Balbir Singh Sodhi, a Sikh American gas station owner in Mesa, Arizona, became the first documented victim of post-9/11 hate violence when he was murdered for wearing a turban and beard. His death remains a stark reminder of the consequences when bias is left unchecked.
Despite consistent targeting, Sikh-related hate crimes remain underrecognized in official crime data and court proceedings. The failure to acknowledge bias in such incidents not only prevents justice for individual victims but also undermines the safety and trust of entire communities.
“This case reflects a troubling pattern of law enforcement failing to recognize and charge hate crimes against Sikhs, even when the evidence is clear,” said Inderjeet Singh. “When bias is excluded from official charges, it sends a message that these incidents are isolated or insignificant. Worse, it’s used as proof by some that hate against our communities doesn’t exist. This not only invalidates the lived experiences of Sikh Americans, it erases the harm done to entire communities who already feel invisible and are left without the resources or recognition needed to address the civil rights issues that are unique to them.”
UNITED SIKHS urges prosecutors to formally add hate crime charges in this and all cases where evidence of bias exists, to reflect the clear, hate-motivated nature of such violence and to set a precedent for accountability.
About UNITED SIKHS
UNITED SIKHS is a United Nations–affiliated international civil and human rights organization advocating for Sikh Americans and other vulnerable communities. Through legal advocacy, education, and community services, the organization works to protect identities, uphold civil liberties, and secure justice.
Wanda Sanchez-Day
Legal Director, UNITED SIKHS
