Thread: Sikh boy's hair cut off in racist attack by knife gang

November 16, 2006

Sikh boy's hair cut off in racist attack by knife gang

BY SHIRLEY ENGLISH

A GANG of white teenagers hacked off a Sikh schoolboy’s hair in a “vicious and unprovoked racist attack”, police said yesterday.

The boy, aged 15, was on his way to visit relatives in Edinburgh when the gang started shouting racial abuse at him as he walked near Pilrig Park at 7.30pm on Tuesday.

He was punched and kicked to the ground, causing his turban to come loose, at which point a youth pulled out a knife and cut off his hair.
Sikh males never cut their hair or beards as hair is considered sacred and has a deep religious significance.

The attack happened close to the Sikh Temple in Leith. Rab Singh, 53, the temple’s vice-president, said it was the first time that he had heard of such an attack. “The community is appalled by what happened to this innocent boy. We are hoping it does not escalate in any way,” he said. “We would hope this will be a one-off incident and we can return to living our calm and peaceful lives.”

He said that the victim’s family, who do not want to be identified, were upset, adding: “When the youths took the knife out he just closed his eyes and hoped that his attackers would not do anything.”

Runbeer Singh, who was visiting the temple, said that cutting the boy’s hair was like taking his life. “This must have been absolutely devastating for the boy,” she said. “A Sikh’s hair is sacred to them. For someone to cut it off is as if they are killing him.”

A Sikh woman who works with the local community said: “Muslims and Hindus cut their hair, which is another reason it is such an important part of a Sikh person’s identity.”

The four-strong gang, all aged about 16, ran off across the park. Lothian and Borders Police said that although the boy did not need hospital treatment he was traumatised and suffered bruising and swelling to his face, shoulder and ribs.

Chief Inspector Keith Chamberlain said: “The manner of this crime, where and how it has happened and the legacy that will be left from it, is exceptional. I want to reassure all members of the community, and the Sikh community in particular, that I’m confident we’ll have a positive outcome.”
Officers have issued descriptions of the attackers and are appealing for witnesses.

Two of them were wearing dark adidas tracksuit bottoms and dark beanie-style hats. Another was wearing a black Helly Hansen jacket and a dark beanie hat. He had a gold hoop in his right ear.

The final suspect was also wearing dark clothing.

ARTICLES OF FAITH
· Customs known as the five Ks are relied upon to hold the community together
· They are: Kesh (uncut hair), Kara (steel bracelet), Kanga (wooden comb), Kaccha (cotton underwear) and Kirpan (steel sword)
· Uncut hair symbolises moving beyond concerns of the body. Men and woman are forbidden from ever cutting their hair
· The Kara is made of steel to emphasise it a symbol of bonding to the community
· The comb represents a clean mind and body; the Kaccha is a symbol of chastity
· The sword can vary from a 1in pin to a 3ft weapon. Many meanings are attached to the Kirpan, including defence of the good and the weak

I can some what content myself by saying s*h*i*t happens all over the world and mercifully this incident did not have the tragic consequences as was the case with the killing of Mr. Balbir Singh Sodhi in Arizona in the aftermath of 9/11.

But where I cannot be content is with “Politically Correct” labels like “Asian”, which is very much in vogue in the UK, and which appears to have been contributed in a no doubt unintended manner for this act violence by covering up the various misdeeds of Pakistani origin individuals by referring to them as “Asian”.

To all you Britons out here on the board ……... Please stop referring to Indians as “Asians”. You will be doing Britons of my fellow Indian origin a great favour :

[b]Sikhs blame British policy of 'Asian' tag[b]

Rashmee Roshan Lall

[ 17 Nov, 2006 2110hrs IST TIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

LONDON: British Sikhs have stepped up their attack on the UK's politically-correct policy of lumping Sikhs and Hindus with the omnibus tag 'Asian' instead of clearly identifying Muslims as the offenders when needed, just 48 hours after a Scottish Sikh teenager was viciously attacked by a white gang and forced to submit to having his long hair hacked off.

In a loaded attack on British political correctness, Sikh leaders blamed the Edinburgh incident on the UK's refusal to identify Asian Muslims as perpetrators of crime. Instead, said the Sikh Federation, Britain's only Sikh political party, racist offenders against whites are routinely described by the British media as "Asian". The Federation said, "The media by adopting such a crude policy was putting at risk those most visible amongst Asians - a simple phrase that the media is using to describe those with brown skin."

The attack on British political correctness comes nearly a fortnight after the high-profile sentencing in the Scottish city of Glasgow of three 'Asian' Muslim men who horrifically killed a young white man, Kriss Donald, in a racist attack that shocked Scotland and much of the world.

On Friday, UK Sikh leaders said the community believed that the attack on the Sikh teenager was "directly linked to (the) conviction in Scotland for the horrific killing of a young white man by four Muslims."
They said the 15-year-old Sikh boy may have become the unfortunate scapegoat for white teenagers angry about Donald's racially-aggravated murder at the hands of a brown gang.

The Federation said, "Sikhs with turbans are the most visible minority in the UK that is facing increased racism as the media and public authorities are adopting 'general' descriptions and avoiding the harsh facts and reality of the situation".

Sikh leaders told TOI , in another loaded reference to recent racially-charged attacks on British Sikh cricketer Monty Panesa, "We have had killings, bombings and mass murder in the UK. What will it take for the media and public authorities to start calling a spade a spade and educating the public about Sikhs, who do not want to be called Asians or Indians and are different to Muslims and Hindus? The events of the last few days show if you are a 15 year old schoolboy or a world famous international cricketer you have one thing in common - your Sikh identity and you will be subjected to racial abuse and attack as the authorities are failing the Sikhs."