On Sikh Holiday, Officials Resolve to Fight Hate Crimes

April 12, 2004

Source: KFMB TV

http://www.kfmb.com/topstory24163.html

On April 12, 2004 KFMB TV reported, "Organizers said more than 10,000 Sikhs from across Southern California were in the city Sunday to celebrate Vaisakhi - which marks their New Year and commemorates the 17th century Sikh leader Guru Gobind Singh... At a press conference earlier in the day, Assemblywoman Judy Chu said Sikhs have been the target of hate crimes by extremists in the United States who mistake them for being from the Middle East. 'We must be more even more proactive in fighting this,' said Chu, whose resolution condemning hate crimes against Sikhs, Arab-Americans and others has been approved by the Assembly. Chu and U.S. Rep. Brad Sherman said that a Sikh temple in Fresno was defaced early last month with hate graffiti that included racial slurs and obscenities. It had also been targeted last year for five straight nights of vandalism, and firecrackers sparked a blaze."