Sikh man attacked in hate crime – SALDEF

SALDEF: HATE CRIME COMMITTED IN SALEM, OREGON

Washington DC – The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), the oldest Sikh American civil rights and advocacy organization, condemns the racially motivated physical attack on Harwinder Singh Dodd of Salem, Oregon on Wednesday, January 16, 2019.

On January 16, 2019, Mr. Dodd was working at a store called the 12th Street Market when a man came in to buy cigarettes. The man refused to show ID to purchase the cigarettes. When Mr. Dodd refused to sell the cigarettes the man became agitated and attacked Mr. Dodd. Bystanders pulled the man of Mr. Dodd and soon after law enforcement arrived. The incident is being reviewed as a hate crime do to the racial comments made by the assailant.

“Whenever there is a hate incident, it is an attack not only against that individual, but the entire community. As a nation of immigrants with equal rights under the constitution, all Americans have the right to live, work, and worship without any fear or intimidation from anyone.” said Kavneet Singh SALDEF Board Chair “No American should feel terrorized in their workplace. We hope Mr. Dodd has a speedy recovery and that he, his friends, and family do not feel threatened in the United States of America.”

SALDEF condemns these kinds of hate crimes and hopes through education and community outreach that we can one-day bring an end to this violence.  SALDEF thanks the local police for their swift response and action in arresting the assailant. On behalf of the Sikh American community, SALDEF offers gratitude to the customers in the store who stood up to the assailant and assisted Mr. Dodd.

###

About SALDEF: Founded in 1996, SALDEF is a national civil rights, advocacy, and educational organization. Its mission is to empower Sikh Americans by building dialogue, deepening understanding, promoting civic and political participation, and upholding social justice and religious freedom for all Americans.