The Sikh Youth Alliance of New Jersey has introduced a groundbreaking bill aimed at including Sikhs as a protected class under bias intimidation laws and defining anti-Sikh hate within the state’s legal framework. The bill, by Representatives Carol Murphy and Angela V. McKnight, seeks to address rising incidents of hate, bigotry, and discrimination against Sikhs in the U.S., which have been exacerbated since 9/11. Jasmeet Kaur Bains, a California assembly member, introduced a bill addressing transnational repression, focusing on threats faced by the Sikh community in the U.S. due to actions allegedly linked to the Indian govt. Bains, who is Sikh, has spoken out about the intimidation and surveillance many US-based Sikhs face, including doxxing and harassment. Her bill aims to protect individuals targeted by foreign govts. and seeks to hold those responsible accountable. Meanwhile, Canada is witnessing a disturbing rise in online hate speech directed towards South Asian and Sikh Canadians, as far-right groups shift their focus to these communities, with far-right narratives blaming immigrants for issues such as unemployment and housing shortages. In the US, the FBI’s 2022 hate crime report showed that Sikhs were the second-most targeted religious group in the U.S., with 198 recorded incidents – the highest ever for Sikhs. This reflects a 17% rise in religiously motivated hate crimes compared to 2021. The Sikh Coalition emphasizes the need for improved hate crime reporting and stronger federal initiatives to combat this ongoing threat.
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