India Condemns Attack on Sikhs in NYC as Community Faces '200% Rise in Hate Crimes' in State

The 2021 FBI report suggests hate crimes in the US had risen to the highest level in 12 years, primarily due to a surge in assaults on Black and Asian Americans.

Two Sikh men were attacked and robbed in the New York City borough of Queens on Tuesday, just a few days after a 70-year-old Sikh was brutally assaulted in the same locality.

Terming it "deplorable", the Consulate General of India in New York approached the local authorities and New York City Police Department, seeking justice for the Sikh victims.

The video footage shared on social media appeared show the injured men, who received punches to the face, without their turbans on their heads.

2nd attack on 2 Sikhs within 10 days exactly at same location in Richmond Hill
Apparently, targeted hate attacks against Sikhs happening in continuation. We condemn this in strong words. These shd be investigated & perpetrators must be held accountable @IndiainNewYork @USAndIndia pic.twitter.com/Ld0RIxIeNn

— Manjinder Singh Sirsa (@mssirsa) April 12, 2022

"Law enforcement believes both men were targeted for being Sikh, and the attacks are being investigated as anti-Sikh hate crimes", the Sikh Coalition, a US-based advocacy group, said.

Jenifer Rajkumar, New York State Assemblywoman, stressed that "there is zero-tolerance for hate crimes against the Sikh American community in New York State".

"There has been an alarming 200% rise in hate crimes against the Sikh community in recent years", Rajkumar said.

The FBI's annual hate crimes report shows that attacks against Asians surged by 73 percent year-on-year in 2020.

The rising hate crimes against Asians were reported at a time when the US raised its voice against alleged human rights violations in India, China, and other countries.