hate crime against sikh taxi driver

In Seattle, a 20-year old man is accused of attacking a Sikh taxi driver in an apparent racially-motivated hate crime: Man charged with hate crime in beating of cab driver

Man charged with hate crime in beating of cab driver

SEATTLE - A 20-year-old Kent man accused of attacking a Sikh taxi driver Saturday has been charged with third degree assault and malicious harassment, which is the hate crime statute.

Authorities say Luis Vazquez attacked Sukhvir Singh, a cab driver, as they were coming down I-5. It was unprovoked and racially-motivated.

For Singh, it doesn't make any sense. Still dazed and traumatized from a brutal attack this weekend, the 48 year-old immigrant is wondering how it could have happened here.

"I love America. I love Americans. I cannot imagine someone would like do it," he said.

It all started Saturday night during the Apple Cup when the 20-year-old was ejected from Husky Stadium for being highly drunk.

Singh, a cab driver, agreed to drive the suspect home. Almost immediately, the 20-year-old started yelling at Singh, calling him an Iraqi terrorist and other racial slurs.

As the cab was going 60 miles per hour down I-5, the passenger began punching Singh, yanking off his turban and pulling out clumps of his hair. The turban and long hair are all required under Singh's Sikh religion.

Singh somehow managed to pull over the cab but the attack continued until police arrived.

Singh has multiple bite marks and cuts on his face and he has trouble breathing after being kicked. But those aren't the only scars.

"He damaged me physically mostly mentally, emotionally," he said.

Members of the local Sikh community say they're outraged and one advocate says Sikhs, especially children, are ridiculed daily for their appearance.

A number of organizations have spoken out on behalf of Singh, including the Sikh Coalition and the Japanese American Citizens Leaque, who know a thing or two about wartime hysteria. Here's the JACL's press release regarding the incident, which is how I first heard about it: JACL CONDEMNS BRUTAL ATTACK OF SEATTLE SIKH CAB DRIVER. That's racist!