Sikh American Owned Convenience Store Set On Fire

GREEN BAY, WI, USA—Last week, a man set a Green Bay, WI convenience store owned by a Sikh American on fire in an apparent hate crime.  The perpetrator, a regular customer of the store, walked into Dollar Land, Inc. owned by Gurnek S. Basanti, poured gasoline on the register and then set the register on fire. Fortunately, no one was injured in the attack.

SALDEF applauds the Green Bay Police Department for apprehending the suspect, James Parrish, and the Brown County District Attorney’s Office for charging him with a hate crime.

According to the police report, Parrish stated that he was going to “burn [the] place down.” He also stated that he set the register on fire “to get them the hell out of Wisconsin.” Prior to this incident, Parrish had called himself a “freedom fighter” and made comments about his desire to “round up terrorists.”

READ/WATCH: Parrish Charged With a Hate Crime

“In just the past two weeks, this is the second reported hate crime against a Sikh American,” said SALDEF Executive Director, Jasjit Singh. “It’s important to the victims of such crimes and to the Sikh community that perpetrators of hate crimes are charged accordingly and brought to justice. We thank the Green Bay Police Department and the Brown County District Attorney’s Office for their diligence and look forward to the hate crime conviction of this defendant.”

SEE: Florida Sikh American Shot While Driving

SALDEF urges all Sikh Americans to immediately report any incidents of harassment, bullying or assault to SALDEF and your local authorities. If you or someone you know has been a victim of any racially motivated crime, please contact SALDEF directly at 202.393.2700 or via our Report an Incident Form.

5 COMMENTS

  1. Sikhs were respected most in North America until all the so called political asylums Punjabi Thugs arrived since 1986. Most of the Sikhs are criminals including Amritdhari/Khalsa as entered with FALSE OATHS then lie, cheat, argue, threat and involve in smuggling then turn around blame and defame accommodating high standard societies with false cum fabricated hue and cry. One picture is better than thousand words as Punjab’s mirror looks very ugly after 1947. Sikhs are shooting their own feet every minute and degrading their own communities Worldwide. Educated Sikh fools are caving in for self motives to the Sikh Thugs. We the Sikhs are not trustworthy and must not be trusted.

    • It could be that the Native Americans or someone thinks that Sikhs are trespassing on their land just like the Europeans. And Sikhs forgot the reason why Guru Teg Bahadur ji sacrificed his life.

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