An Australia-based Sikh restaurant owner has alleged that he faced racial targeting on several occasions in recent months, including being asked to “go home” and having dogs attacked at his car, news agency PTI reported. Includes application of feces.
Jarnail Singh, a restaurant owner in Hobart, Tasmania, shared that he has been continuously targeted over the past two to three months, PTI reported, quoting the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Expressing his distress, Singh said, “This has never happened to me before, and it has been happening continuously for the last two, three months.” He further explained the mental impact of the incidents, especially when they occur at someone’s home, and with his name involved, adding, “It’s a lot of mental stress. Something has to be done.”
The initial incident involved dog feces being smeared on the door handle of his car outside his home for four or five consecutive days. Subsequently, racist graffiti was found in his driveway, with the message “Go home, Indian” written on it.
Singh reported the matter to the police, but with no video evidence, little progress could be made in identifying the culprit.
Filled with racist comments, Singh initially assumed the letter was written by a young man and, after reporting it to the police, attempted to ignore it. However, about a month later a more objectionable letter arrived, containing explicit comments such as “You can go back to India” and threats to damage his car at his workplace or home, PTI reported.
Having lived in Australia for almost 15 years, 10 of them in Tasmania, Singh is now faced with the need to address these incidents and seek support.
In response to the incidents, Tasmania Police Commander Jason Elmer issued a statement confirming that the matter had been reported to police and was being investigated. He stressed that existing law allows courts to consider racial hatred or prejudice as an aggravating factor when sentencing.
Commander Elmer stressed that there is “no excuse for any form of verbal or physical harassment” in the community. He encouraged individuals who believe they have been victims of bias-related incidents to immediately contact police.
,With PTI inputs.,
