Sikh community overwhelmed with support after targeted by hate-crime
Posted Oct 27, 2021 7:13 am.
Last Updated Oct 27, 2021 12:23 pm.
Southwest Calgary’s Sikh community has been inundated with messages of love and support after the Gurdwara Sahib Temple was targeted by hate and racism.
Police say sometime between 9 p.m. on Oct. 24 and 7 a.m. on Oct. 25, racist messages were spread along the road leading to the temple on 81 St. SW.
READ MORE: Police investigating racist graffiti at Calgary Sikh temple
“All over Canada the phones started coming in about that graffiti and the good thing about it was it was so outpouring support from all walks of life from all the communities that if we need any help that they are there to help us they will stand beside us,” Sikh Society president Balihar Dhillon told CityNews Calgary.
He says he got a call from a community member Monday morning, informing him their place of worship was the target of a hate crime.
“This is a very very bad thing it can happen to any one of us and we can fight the racism and hate crime together as a whole,” he added.
“Love and compassion is the only biggest tool to bring the peoples together and communication.”
Calgary’s Dashmesh Culture Centre, which has been the target of a racist act itself, says it was disappointed and saddened by the incident.
“While we believe this is the actions of a few, we encourage everyone to accept everyone as one and take the time to learn about your neighbors,” the group writes on Facebook.
It’s being investigated as a hate-motivated crime.
While that label doesn’t carry any extra charges, it can lead to harsher sentencing.
Calgary police are asking anyone with any information to contact them.
