Sikh Community March in Queens Against Hate Crimes
New York, NY —
Members of New York City's Sikh community marched this afternoon to protest an attack on a 12-year-old girl who had her long hair cut off by a fellow student.
The hair cutting, which violates Sikh religious beliefs, was the second time this month that a Queens Sikh student was the victim of a bias crime.
Student Arshdeep Singh described the harassment that he has endured.
SINGH: He started calling me names, he started calling me son of Osama, diaper head, egg head, all that stuff.
REPORTER: Singh left school as a result of harassment. He says he is no longer surprised when strangers call him names. He, and many other students attending the rally today, want the Department of Education to do more. Schools Chancellor Joe Klein says he has previously met with the Sikh community and said new bias regulations were being implemented.
