Misdirected Muslim hatred leads to long punishment for attack on Sikh in Fresno

FRESNO, California—A savage attack on an 82-year-old Sikh man has earned a Fresno man 13 years in prison.

Piara Singh’s suffered from a punctured lung, broken ribs, and multiple bruises. More than two years later, the mental pain and anguish are still fresh.

“Although he has recovered from his wounds after the attack, he still has flashbacks,” said community activist Ike Grewal, who frequently speaks to Singh’s family. “He still is afraid.”

Piara Singh had just finished preparing langar (meals for the needy) when Gilbert Garcia spotted him outside a Southwest Fresno temple. Garcia began screaming about the Taliban and Muslims as he attacked a man of a completely different faith.

“The Sikhs continue to be mistaken as terrorists because our media tends to show instances of terrorist attacks and images of the terrorists wearing turbans,” said Grewal.

Despite prosecutors charging Garcia’s case as a hate crime, his defense attorney claimed he was mentally compromised. Doctors, however, determined Garcia was largely putting on this behaviour.

Garcia’s attempts to hide from police,even masking himself in pepper spray when police dogs closed in on him, also proved he wasn’t insane, just full of hatred for a man he didn’t understand.

“The bottom line is justice was meted out today and in our community, if you’re going to commit a hate crime, you’re going to go to prison,” said prosecutor Tim Donovan.

Sikh leaders hope Singh’s pain will at least lead to a better understanding of a community hard at work to fit in as Americans. Instead of being the recipients of a misdirected hate by individuals or need to be educated.