In the second such assault in less than 10 days, two Sikh men were attacked and robbed in Queens, the same neighbourhood in the city where an elderly Sikh man was assaulted early this month.
The Consulate General of India in New York said in a tweet that the “assault on two Sikh gentlemen in Richmond Hills, New York” is deplorable.“We have approached the local authorities and New York City Police Department in the matter,” the Consulate said.
It added that it notes that a police complaint has been filed in the incident and one person has been arrested. The Consulate said that it is in touch with the community members and “ready to offer all assistance to the victims.”
Community-based civil and human rights organisation The Sikh Coalition said that the two Sikh individuals were attacked and robbed in Richmond Hill, Queens.
The attack happened “very close” to the area where septuagenarian Nirmal Singh was punched in an unprovoked assault on April 3.
Commenting on the latest attack, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards said that it is “another difficult day” in the Richmond Hill area, “as we learn of a second attack on a Sikh neighbour — days after Singh’s assault.”
“No one deserves to experience the horrific violence that Nirmal Singh experienced last weekend on the streets of South Richmond Hill.
Today, we stand as one #Queens community to stand in solidarity with our entire Sikh community. An attack on one of us is an attack on all,”Richards Tweeted.
New York City Council Member Shahana Hanif, who represents Brooklyn, tweeted that “Our thoughts with the entire City this morning. From the senseless shooting in Sunset Park to the horrifying attack against our Sikh neighbours in Richmond Hill, our communities are hurting. Please look out for each other today—we keep one another safe.”
The Sikh Coalition said that out of respect for their privacy, it was not sharing the names or images of the two Sikh individuals, who are responsive and getting medical care.
However, video footage shared on social media showed the two individuals surrounded by and being attended to by locals and police personnel. One of the injured is seen sitting on the side of the road, while another is standing next to him, covering his injury near his eye with a cloth. In the video, the two Sikh men are seen without turbans on their head.
