Suspect in US Sikh Assault Held; Another Sikh Hate Crime Incident in UK

Bo Richard Vitagliano, 44, was arrested in Los Angeles on 11 Aug for attacking 70-year-old Harpal Singh in North Hollywood, US. According to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), the attack came after a brawl between Harpal and the accused. 'Witnesses said they did not see how the altercation began, but heard a loud commotion, then witnessed two men swinging metal objects at each other,' said the police report. The attack victim is a resident of the US state of California and suffered serious grave injuries who continues to remain critical and sedated. Sri Akal Takht Sahib (Eternal Throne, AT) officiating Jathedar (leader) Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj has condemned the brutal assault demanding the LAPD and American investigative agencies ensure the accused person receives a strict and exemplary punishment. In another hate crime in the UK, two elderly Sikh men (both taxi drivers but names withheld) were assaulted by three teenagers 15 Aug outside a railway station in Wolverhampton. Viral footage of the incident showed the victims lying on the ground, being kicked repeatedly by one of the attackers until he was pulled away by another. The teenagers were arrested but were later released on bail. Meanwhile, a crash in Florida, US which killed three people, has become the latest flashpoint between the US President Donald Trump administration and California Governor Gavin Newsom. A semi-truck driver and an illegal immigrant Harjinder Singh made an illegal U-turn on the Florida turnpike, resulting in the trailer jackknifing and colliding with a minivan. Harjinder was issued a commercial driver's license by the California Department of Motor Vehicles despite his illegal status. The accident has drawn diverse views with Trump’s team calling for deportation of illegal immigrants. Concurrently, in New York, the state police had prohibited State Trooper Charanjot Singh Tiwana from growing facial hair in keeping with his religious beliefs. However, after pushback from the Sikh community, New York State Police is actively reviewing its policy to accommodate troopers of all religious faiths (earlier coverage).