Days After Hate Crime, Sikh Restaurant Owner Continues to Receive Support from Locals in Woodland, California

WOODLAND, California, USA—Three days after being targeted by a brutal hate crime, CJ Singh from Woodland has continued to receive support from his community.  Following the incident on January 23, Woodland residents have been coming to the restaurant to eat there and express their support to the Sikh restaurant owner.

CJ Singh said the incident was “scary” when he found hateful remarks inscribed outside the restaurant when he went to work on Monday morning.  He alleged that the vandal also tried to unsuccessfully set his business on fire.  The vandal also took away the DVR for the CCTV cameras installed for surveillance to avoid their capture.

Yesterday, several local Sikhs, along with a Woodland city council member gathered at CJ Singh’s business to take a stand against intolerance. Woodland Mayor Enrique Fernandez said, “We’re eager to move forward and figure out ways to combat the hatred and the intolerance that’s kind of resonated nationally from this most recent election.”

This is not the first time CJ Singh has been targeted for his identity.  Last year in October, he was asked by someone to “go back to his country”.  A rock was also thrown in his restaurant.  “We were shaken by the act of hate and anger targeted at our faith,” he said.

“If anyone have problem with us, any question, they can come talk to us,” CJ Singh said.

Over 200 incidents of hateful harassment and intimidation across the US have been reported since Donald Trump won the presidential election.