Government approach to Anti-Sikh hate crimes following racist attacks in Oldbury and Wolverhampton

Minority communities in Britain are feeling extremely vulnerable in the current political climate. Members of the Sikh community are increasingly mentioning Anti-Sikh hate with a rise in racist abuse and attacks as they go about their daily lives. However, many Sikhs are not reporting these hate crimes to the police as they have no confidence any meaningful action will be taken, unless it involves extreme violence and there is public pressure to take action. You would have been upset and horrified having seen the recent media coverage of the appalling racially motivated brutal attack and rape of a young Sikh woman in her 20s as she was going to work in Oldbury on 9 September. The attack in Oldbury has come within weeks of an unprovoked racist attack on two elderly Sikh taxi drivers in their 60s and 70s in Wolverhampton. Both attacks were in broad daylight and indicative of the growing racial hatred and violence faced by the most vulnerable in the Sikh community. Most Sikhs, are visibly identifiable by one or more of our articles of faith and appearance and are therefore more exposed to racists. When the police first went public about the Oldbury attack on 10 September they played down the sexual attack committed by two white men.[1] Shockingly there was no mention of the “racially aggravated” nature of the crime and the allegation of rape made by the victim. Sikh community organisations supporting and representing the victim and her family were compelled to become “her voice”. These are the words of the victim in her only public statement to date to thank those supporting and representing her. These Sikh community organisations have successfully highlighted with the assistance of the media that the attack was racist and the victim was a young Sikh woman who had been raped. In subsequent public statements the police have been forced to admit the attack was “racially aggravated” and the evidence has confirmed the young Sikh woman was raped. However, the police continue to be annoyed with Sikh community organisations for exposing the attack was racially aggravated and ensuring massive media exposure. The police are however missing the big picture and nit-picking by questioning exactly what the attackers shouted at the victim i.e. “you don’t belong in this country, get out.” The police do not like the use of these eight words by the media shared by Sikh community organisations or the public narrative it creates. But at the same time the police are unable to indicate what the attackers shouted at the victim that was racist. It could be what the attackers actually shouted that made it racially aggravated and is officially recorded with the police ad will be played out in from of a judge and jury is far worse with some expletives concerning the colour and gender of the victim. The police underestimated the reaction and resourcefulness of the Sikh community. On Sunday 14 September Sikhs protested locally in Smethwick to show solidarity with the victim and the UK Gurdwara Alliance representing over 250 Gurdwaras wrote to the new Home Secretary demanding action. The Home Secretary was urged as a woman of colour and representing the neighbouring constituency to show public solidarity with the victim and Sikh community by condemning the abhorrent attack. Gurinder Josan, the local Labour MP for Smethwick present at the protest was challenged by Sky News[2] on the failure of the new Home Secretary to condemn the attack that took place 5 days earlier. He said he had been in touch with the Home Secretary and Equalities Minister, but unashamedly stated: “there is very little they can do.” This statement making excuses for Ministers, both from ethnic minorities, is complete and utter nonsense given the Home Secretary the following day in Parliament rightly condemned the racist attack. The MP continued by disgracefully telling Sky News: “rape is a very difficult case to get a conviction” ignoring he was supposed to be at the protest to show support for the young Sikh woman who has been brutally attacked and raped. He has been heavily criticised for showing no empathy for the rape victim and totally misjudging the widespread anger and disgust around the racist sexual assault and rape. More than a week later he has failed to apologise for his unwarranted offensive comment to all victims of rape and become oblivious or has gone into hiding whilst several other female MPs have stepped up. Hours after the protest on Sunday 14 September where the Sikh community gave the police a 48 hour ultimatum to make arrests a man in his 30s was arrested on suspicion of rape. However, the police have failed to track down the other attacker and have had to release the man arrested on suspicion of rape on bail without charge pending further inquiries. There is widespread anger and frustration that both perpetrators have not been arrested and charged. The Sikh community has therefore announced a reward of £10,000 for information leading to arrests and successful convictions. In response the charity Crimestoppers within 24 hours of the £10,000 reward announced by the Sikh community exceptionally announced a reward of £20,000 and requested any funds the Sikh community collect specifically for the reward to be donated to Crimestoppers. Over 450 UK Gurdwaras and Sikh organisations wrote to the Prime Minister on 17 September reminding him of the video[3] he released in April 2022 on Vaisakhi recognising the significance of the Sikh identity and that Sikhs were being unacceptably subject to hate. He highlighted and appreciated that successive governments had failed to treat Anti-Sikh hate on a par with Antisemitism and Islamophobia and promised a Labour government would put this right. The Prime Minister has been requested to encourage the new Home Secretary and new Communities Secretary as part of his reset to urgently address Anti-Sikh hate and honour his promise following the recent high profile racists attacks on Sikhs in Oldbury and Wolverhampton. The starting point should be the APPG for British Sikhs report and recommendations on Anti-Sikh hate produced 5 years ago in October 2020[4]. All three have not responded to the letters sent to them. As my MP can you: 1. Make a public statement, if you have not done so already, to condemn the racist attack and rape of the young Sikh woman in Oldbury as all politicians need to be united in condemning such horrific attacks. Please send me a copy or link to your public statement. 2. Write to the Chief Constable for West Midlands Police asking: 1. why the police initially downplayed the attack in Oldbury and left out the attack was racially aggravated and the young woman had made an allegation of rape 2. why the police are refusing to tell the community, public and media if the man arrested on suspicion of rape was released on bail without charge on Tuesday 16 September and why the police delayed making a public statement until 24 hours after his release Please send me a copy of your letter to the Chief Constable and any response. 3. Ask the Labour MP for Smethwick, to make a public apology for his offensive and insensitive comments to Sky News on 14 September about the conviction of rape victims or report him to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards as his actions have damaged the reputation and integrity of the House of Commons calling for him to be suspended for 10 sitting days. Please provide me a written update on the actions you take. 4. Ask the Prime Minister, Home Secretary and Communities Secretary their timetable to treat Anti-Sikh hate on a par with Antisemitism and Islamophobia Please send me a copy of your correspondence with the Prime Minister, Home Secretary and Communities Secretary and any responses received or a link to any Parliamentary Questions and the response received. [1] https://www.halesowennews.co.uk/news/25456053.tame-road-oldbury-police-reveal-info-sex-attack/ [2] https://news.sky.com/story/hundreds-gather-to-show-solidarity-with-sikh-woman-raped-in-racially-aggravated-attack-13431328 [3] https://x.com/SikhFedUK/status/1958091373409710117 [4] https://www.sikhfeduk.com/assets/files/APPG-Anti-Sikh-Hate-Crime-Report-2020.pdf Yours sincerely.