Sikh Man Faces Racist Attack Outside UK Parliament

By Little India Desk | February 23, 2018

An Indian Sikh man said he faced a racist attack outside the United Kingdom parliament on Feb.21, when his turban was pulled by a man who shouted, “Muslim go back.”

Ravneet Singh, 37, from Punjab said that he was waiting in a queue to enter Portcullis House to meet a Labor MP when the alleged incident happened. “I was in the queue outside Portcullis House and this guy ran up to us. Just before we got to the entrance he came up to me and attacked me,” Singh said, the Independent reported.

Portcullis House is a building situated adjacent to the Houses of Parliament, where the offices of members of parliament and their staff are located.

Singh added that the man tugged strongly at his turban and it half moved, before he held it back. He shouted at the perpetrator before he could make his next move and the man then ran away.

“He made a racist comment in another language that I didn’t recognize. He was a white man, but he didn’t sound English. He said something like ‘Muslim go back’,” Singh said, according to reports.

Singh was on a three-week trip to the United Kingdom to have a discussion about his work for an environmental group. He was waiting to meet the Labor MP for Slough, Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi.

The police are investigating the alleged racist attack. A spokesperson from the Metropolitan Police confirmed that they received a call at 5.20 pm alerting them about the assault outside Portcullis House. No arrests have been made by the police so far and investigations are on, according to reports.

Singh said that the attack came out of the blue.

Labor MP Dhesi, who Singh was supposed to meet, took to the social media to express his feelings over the incident.

“Disgusted to discover today that someone filled with hatred tried to pull off the turban of one of my guests standing in line outside the UK Parliament. I hope the authorities will take urgent action,” he said on Twitter.

Disgusted to discover today that someone filled with hatred tried to pull off the turban of one of my guests standing in line outside @UKParliament. I hope the @metpoliceuk /authorities will take urgent action. https://t.co/0MRgdICPwa

— Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi MP (@TanDhesi) February 21, 2018

The Sikh Council of United Kingdom also called the attack disgraceful and cowardly on the social media.

Disgraceful and cowardly racist attack on @ecosikh Ravneet Singh on the grounds of @UKParliament estate. Please ensure reports are filed with @metpoliceuk and @SikhAwareUK. Inspiring and compassionate words by Ravneet Singh “I pray for the man who attacked me”.

— Sikh Council UK (@SikhCouncilUK) February 21, 2018

Dudley North MP Ian Austin also condemned the attack on social media.

Outrageous. Complete disgrace https://t.co/PVSg7tSBuI

— Ian Austin (@IanAustinMP) February 21, 2018