UPDATED : Sterling Heights, Michigan Gurdwara Vandalized

• Press Conference on Friday, February 10 at 3pm: Sterling Heights, Michigan, Feb 10, 2012: The Sikh community of the Greater Detroit, Michigan area was held a press conference on Friday, February 10 at 3pm EST, at the location of a vandalized Gurdwara with a collection of interfaith and community leaders. The purpose of the meeting was to have a prayer by different communities such as Muslim, Sikh, Hindu and Christian
  

• Amritsar, Feb.10: The Akal Takht Jathedar, Giani Gurbachan Singh said:
  • Sought stringent punishment for those responsible for vandalising the gurdwara
  • I appeal to members of the Sikh community as well as the Muslims to maintain peace and harmony. They should not get provoked, but togeteher make efforts to identify those behind the incident
  • He urged the US Administration to zero in on the culprits and initiate strict action against them as per the law. SGPC

---------------

Sterling Heights, Michigan Gurdwara Vandalized

Sterling Heights, Michigan, Feb 07, 2012
Santokh Singh

Between Sunday night (February 5) and Monday morning (February 6), Sterling Heights, Michigan Gurdwara have been vandalized with graffiti including vulgar language, racial epithets, what appears to be a cross, a large drawing of a gun, and references to the attacks of September 11. It also show the word “Mohmed,” reference to the Islamic prophet, scrawled in black paint on the gurdwara’s white exterior wall. The new site 14,000-square-foot golden domed building of the gurdwara has been under construction and is due for completion this summer

Jasjit Singh Associate Executive Director of SALDEF said:

• We have been in contact with the Sterling Heights Police Department, Department of Justice, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to urge their action on this matter and to offer our support in the investigation.
• Attacks and vandalism against any of the nation’s houses of worship must be condemned by all Americans. This type of crime strikes at the very foundation of religious tolerance, the foundation this country was built upon
• We call upon local and federal law enforcement agencies to rightfully classify this incident as a hate crime and bring the perpetrators to justice to show that hate and violence are not tolerated in our society.