Los Angeles, California, USA—On the Eve of the first anniversary of the Wisconsin Oak Creek Gurdwara Tragedy, Sikh24 has just learned that vandals have defaced walls adjoining Riverside Gurdwara near Los Angeles, California Today.
Sangat have reported seeing the words “Terrorist” and “Terrist!” [sic] scrawled on the brick walls surrounding the Gurdwara and parking lot.
Presumably, police investigation into the vandalism will begin shortly, but Sikh organizations are warning Sikhs around the US to remain vigilant as the first anniversary of the Oak Creek tragedy nears as hate groups may take advantage of this time to hurt Sikhs further.
Anantvir Singh, a raagi (scripture singer) at the Gurdwara was surprised today when he went outside, saying, “I am shocked and appalled that this actually happened. Some ignorant people have defaced the wall of our Gurduara. We still need to work on telling the world who we are as Sikhs. We are not Terrorists.”
Updates will follow as more information becomes available.
1:55 PM PDT – Sources report that cameras are installed and in use at the Gurdwara. The police were called and will have access to the recordings to find the suspects.
I live about 20 minutes drive from this Gurdwara. This type of graffiti has happened before. I think it is done by some kids high on weed or something. Gurdwara should have installed cameras after the first incident. This temple is run by Dinosaurs!!
Some news reports are calling on the Riverside Police to investigate. Unfortunately, the temple is not in Riverside… never has been. It is located in the City of Jurupa Valley.
The Sikh community have always been welcome and are wonderful residents. While it should be investigated as a hate crime, it is simply another act of vandalism that is rampant in many cities.
some one around there please go to Home depot and get the graffiti remover
I doubt a white guy did it looks like gang writing. I dunno if you can be racist and be mexican….
well i regularly go near to this Gurdwara, and it is not in the best neighbor hood, lots of illiterate ppl and when i mean illiterate they have no idea what other religions are. they have some illiterate Indians too. plus look how they spelled terrorists. i am not hating on them but we all know what happens when get little tipsy or drunk, we become dare devils,i think someone probably did this while he or she was intoxicated.
I think to remove confusion about Sikh Gurudwaras and to encourage communities to participate along with “Sikh Gurudwara” we should write
“Sikh Church” along with sikh Gurudwara in punjabi or english….if we can write
“Sikh – Temple” I believe Sikh – Church is more suited.
Manpreet,
Yes and we’ll throw in some angels, change the names of the prophets…and voila…then we can call it Christianity too..that is far more suited (I think not)
America has always been a country of diversity, why should someone have to start changing their place of worship due to ignorance. In a traditional Church, only those that believe in Christ will go to ‘heaven’, in the Sikh temple there were historically 4 doors on each side to represent religious equality, it is god that decides who goes to ‘heaven’ based on the deeds you do, not the prophet you follows..the Church and the Gurudawara therefore have fundamental differences in the way we accept/perceive society..this is not an attack on Christians or Christianity, they are good religions too and have the utmost respect for the core principles (honesty, charity etc) of all the major religions, but the institutions have different philosophies. I’d rather die or be attacked for having the right (in my view) philosophy rather than change it like a coward.
RKK RKF
@Rajendra Gajjar
This is what happens when people don’t know their facts. First, because you are Indian, it doesn’t make it right for you to say “dont go calling racism on me.” There is a distinct difference that your not so wise ass doesn’t see; Indian is a nationality and Sikhism is a religion. So technically I can pull the racism card here.
Secondly, since this article has to do with act of vandalism outside a Sikh temple, I am assuming you are talking about Sikh temples in Punjab. A quick question for you: have you ever been to a Sikh temple? I ask this simply because you don’t seem to notice that there seem to be more Hindu’s as well as Muslim’s attending Sikh temple (an example would be Golden Temple) than just Sikhs. We welcome people with both arms open and don’t push those people into becoming Sikhs (like Christianity does) and not to talk about the free langar the Gurudwaras provide.
And since we are also talking about this event taking place around the first anniversary of the Wisconsin Oak Creek Gurudwara Tragedy, I think you should just pay your respect to the people who lost their lives on that day rather than one bad experience you had in Punjab. To be honest, there are probably more Hindu’s/Muslim’s living in Punjab than Sikhs, so Sikhs probably didn’t even have anything to do with not being concerned about your culture.
Lastly, who are you to tell us either we like it here or we leave. Last time I checked this is a free country and we have the freedom of right to speech and freedom of religion to practice any religion we may practice. And also, since you are so ignorant can’t see the obvious reason we are targeted, it is not because we tell them we are from Punjab, it is because we wear turbans and they associate this with the videos they see of Jihad terrorist. Most of the people in United States know of Sikhs, its just the people that can’t process the simple facts in their brains that Sikhs are the only ones that wear turbans in United States. Thus far in my life I have yet to see a Muslim wear turban in this country.
good one i respect and adore Sikhism, but there are still 58% Sikhs in Punjab 40% Hindus and rest others.
It is not a big deal. We can’t lose our peace for some jerk. Take it easy !
No doubt it is very very serious matter for our sikh community in U.S.A. As we well known that such like activities ,hate crime ,are neither supported by American public nor by U.S. Government .On the other hand public as well as Government condemn these acts as we already seen in Wisconsin gurduara shooting incident . My request is to our self made leaders of U.S.A ,please do not ask Jathedars as well as Makkad and other punjab panthic leaders to give some irresponsible comments on this serious issue , Here we sikhs should apprise this untoward incident to the notice of Local administration as well to the Fedral Goverment .Its solution is not in Punjab rather it is here .
@Jas Dhaliwal
Why you no make the any sense?
Um sikhs are from india and indians are well represented. You keep telling your people you’re punjabi not indian, of course ppl are gonna think you something else. Get yo shit straight boys, everywhere i go, i get respect. Im indian. Actually im an American first. I am not a hindu, or a gujarati, or an indian. present your self the way its suppose to be. I dont remember sikhs being very concerning of my culture when i went to punjab so why should this country accommodate you? Its simple. You either like it here or dont. If you dont, the doors open. And this is coming from an American Indian, from India, so dont go calling racism on me. Get real…
That made absolutely no sense
What on earth are you blabbering on about. Reality shouldn’t have to change for the stupid. If some is Punjabi then they are Punjabi. You state that everywhere you go you get respect, I doubt that very much, since a) You speak tripe, b) You have not got it here (since I do not respect you).
As for ‘You either like it here or dont. If you dont, the doors open.’ What a ridiculous statement, on that basis if someone doesn’t like the current gov’t policy (as an example) they should leave the country? You are a weak individual, sadly most of society is like you now…a pointless reproduction of genes.
Indian is not a race, its a nationality. Punjabis and Gujaratis come from seperate cultures and ethnic groups, soooo the race card is applicable. India is an amazingly embarrasing country. Dont hate because being Punjabi is better than being Indian.
To All Sikh Organization Managements:
Why we Sikhs were having any presentation on 4th July 2013 Independence Parade day at Washington DC?
These types of golden opportunities are missed by our corrupted and dummy leaders to introduce culture, identification and community to entire World.
All the congregation funds are sucked to feed their families pay for their children’s education, arrange marriage of their family members or relatives, to pay to travel agent to smuggle their family and relative members or buy business to sell prohibited drug items by our Guru Ji. The Sikh leader might be busy in spying against our own Sikh platform or against our own members hence do not bother to engage in real time operation to improve Sikh images and qualities.
Why other countries and communities were with presentation not SIKH Leaders?
Sikhs had no involvement whatsoever in any terrorist attacks. Just goes to show the ignorance of some people in the US. I agree with Anantvir, as Sikhs become more dominant in society we need teach others about who we are.