In what is being discussed as a possible hate crime, a group of Sikh men were targeted in Australia in Harris Park, Sydney, by a group of men with bats and hammers.
Speaking to 7News, the victims say they were targeted because of their turbans. “They bashed all the car from every side...anyone could get killed,” said one of the men. The attack, which was caught on CCTV, shows a group of men striking the car with bats.
The Sikh men say they suffered over $10,000 in damages from the attack.
The ethnicity and motive of the attackers is not yet known.
The attacks come amid growing tensions between the Sikh community in Australia and other members of the Indian diaspora, over perceived differences in views over the ongoing farmers protests in India.
“We all want this to be resolved peacefully. Don’t fight with each other. It is like Indian is fighting Indian,” 7News quoted Kamal Singh from the Little India Australia Association as saying.
Last month, the New South Wales police said they foiled an attempt by “miscreants” to provoke and disrupt services at the Glenwood gurdwara. The Sydney-based Australian Sikh Association alleged that a mob held a rally in Parramatta with the Indian national flag, following which a convoy of about 50 vehicles made their way to the Gurudwara. Police stopped the convoy, saying they had not applied for permission to hold a public assembly.
