NAPA condemns attack on elderly Sikh men in England’s Wolverhampton

The North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) Executive Director Satnam Singh Chahal strongly condemned the attack on two elderly Sikh men in Wolverhampton.

Terming it as a disgraceful and unacceptable racist and hate-filled assault, Chahal said the shocking act of violence is not only an attack on two innocent individuals, but also a direct assault on the values of equality, respect and harmony that form the foundation of any civilised society.

Notably, the two elderly men — one of them a turbaned Sikh — were attacked a day ago and during the reportedly unprovoked attack, man’s turban was removed.

A video of the incident has been doing rounds on social media.

Chahal called upon West Midlands Police (@WMPolice) and the UK Home Office (@ukhomeoffice) to take urgent and concrete steps to address the alarming rise in hate crimes across the United Kingdom.

He said, "It is deeply troubling that elderly members of the Sikh community—who have dedicated their lives to enriching the nation’s social, cultural and economic fabric—are being subjected to such vile and cowardly attacks."

He added, "Swift justice, stronger protections and visible action are urgently needed to restore the confidence of the Sikh community and send a clear, unambiguous message that hate has no place in Britain."

Chahal said the Sikh community, known globally for its values of service, sacrifice and compassion, deserves to live with dignity and without fear.

NAPA urged the authorities to ensure strict accountability, provide adequate safeguards for minority communities, and implement robust measures to eradicate racism and hate crimes in all the forms.