Sikh community calls on New York City for protection after 2 recent attacks
NEW YORK -- The Sikh community is calling on New York City for protection after two recent crimes, one of them fatal.
In front of the Sikh temple in Richmond Hill, the Sikh community and local leaders want answers.
"I don't feel safe ... when I come out from home," said Mani Singh Sandhu, who was brutally attacked on an MTA bus last week.
That assault was deemed a hate crime.
Four days later, 68-year-old Jasmer Singh was beaten to death during a road rage incident. His wife witnessed at the attack.
"He just hit my father so intense, like so hard on his head. His two front teeth was taken out," said Singh's son Subeg Multani.
Multani is heartbroken and angry that his father's death has not been deemed a hate crime.
"Because my father was wearing a turban. [The attacker] used the word 'Turban man,'" Multani said. "This is a hate, and we are pursuing, Naveen, for a hate crime."
While NYPD numbers show overall hate crimes in the city are lower than last year, local activist Japneet Singh says hate crimes against Sikhs are rising, but he says statistics don't reflect them as some crimes aren't reported, and he says the NYPD doesn't investigate properly.
"They are making as many excuses as possible to make sure it doesn't get investigated as a hate crime. I don't know why that is," Japneet Singh said.
For a community who has been dealing with bias and hate since 9/11 because of their religious attire, the fear is back once again.
"This is the NYPD's job to protect us. They failed to do so. They failed to do so," Multani
Local activists say they are in the process of fundraising to start a patrol group. They say they've looked at the police data that shows crimes have gone down where civilian patrols are conducted.