An unidentified man has assaulted an Indian-origin Sikh taxi driver in the US.
A video showing a man knocking off a taxi driver’s turban has gone viral on the internet. Navjot Pal Kaur shared the un-dated 26-second video on Twitter on January 4. The video shows a man hitting a taxi driver and abusing him.
“This video was taken by a bystander at John F. Kennedy International Airport. I do not own the rights to this video. But I just wanted to highlight the fact that hatred continues to remain in our society, and unfortunately, I’ve seen Sikh cab drivers get assaulted again and again,” Kaur tweeted.
Many people have reacted strongly to the suspected hate crime in the US against Sikhs.
The National Sikh Campaign said, “We are only a few days into the new year, and there has already been a hate crime committed against a Sikh. A bystander recorded an unidentified man attacking a Sikh taxi driver, ultimately knocking off the driver’s turban.”
Follow NRI Affairs on Facebook and Twitter for latest updates.
“No additional details have been released outside of the video, but we know this story too well. A Sikh person goes about their daily lives only to be senselessly attacked by someone. Common road rage between people can escalate when someone who is ignorant of who we are takes their disdain for our turbans and becomes violent,” it said.
Simran Jeet Singh, author and Director for the Aspen Institute’s Inclusive America Project, tweeted, “Another Sikh cab driver assaulted. This one is at JFK Airport in NYC. So upsetting to see. But it’s crucial that we don’t look away. What I am sure of is how painful it is to watch our fathers and elders get assaulted while they’re just trying to live an honest life.”
“For those who aren’t Sikh, I can’t put into words what it means to have your turban knocked off — or to see someone else’s turban knocked off. It’s visceral and gut-wrenching and just so disheartening to witness,” she said.
