It was yet another incident, where the shooter shouted: “Go back to your country,” at a Sikh man, Deep Rai, and shooting and injuring him on Friday, March 10th in a suburb of Seattle, WA. According to news reports, the gunman – who is still at large – told him to “go back to your own country.” Local authorities have confirmed that the shooting is being investigated as a potential hate crime.
Working with local Sikh community members in Washington, the Sikh Coalition has helped facilitate widespread local and national media coverage and worked with local, state and federal officials, urging them to: conduct a thorough hate crime investigation; improve laws and regulations relating to bias prevention; organize Know Your Rights forums to build resilience in targeted communities; partner with Sikh Americans to expand Sikh awareness and appreciation; and, the Sikh Coalition has urged the Sikhs around the world to practice their faith fearlessly.
Meanwhile, thousands Have Joined the #LoveMyNeighbor Campaign. The U.S. government’s orders on immigration continue to fan the flames of xenophobic backlash. In addition to backlash against Sikhs, threats and violence have targeted Muslim and Jewish communities. It is for this reason that the Sikh Coalition has partnered with Auburn Seminary to launch an interfaith letter-writing campaign to show our solidarity with both communities. This initiative emphasizes to our American Muslim and Jewish classmates, neighbors and colleagues that we are strongest as a nation when we stand together. #LoveMyNeighbor.