Hate crime charges added to beating of Sikh man

Inderjit Mukker was repeatedly punched in the face and called "terrorist" and "Bin Laden"



In Illinois, the DuPage County State's Attorney announced Tuesday that the teen who beat a Sikh man in the face in Darien last week, calling him "terrorist" and "Bin Laden," has been charged with a hate crime, in addition to the previous charges of felony aggravated battery. Turns out, it wasn't just a "road rage incident."

Hate crime added to charges in beating of Sikh man in Darien

Last week in the Chicago suburb of Darien, 53-year-old Inderjit Singh Mukker, who wears a turban and a beard in observance of his Sikh faith, was viciously beaten in his car after being called "terrorist" and "Bin Laden" and told to "go back to your country." He was repeatedly punched in the face and lost consciousness.

State's Attorney Robert B. Berlin announced that his office has filed an amended juvenile petition to include one count of hate crime, a Class 4 felony, in addition to the five counts of aggravated battery. The decision was made after further investigation and the discovery of additional evidence in what was previously described as a "traffic altercation." Public outcry over the missing hate crime charge probably didn't hurt either.

No hate crime charges in attack on Sikh man

Inderjit Mukker was repeatedly punched in the face and called "terrorist" and "Bin Laden"



In Illinois, charges have filed against the teenager who brutally beat a 53-year-old Sikh man last week, calling him "terrorist" and yelling "Go back to your country, Bin Laden!" However, inexplicably, the assailant is not being charged with a hate crime. Prosecutors are calling the incident a "traffic altercation." The hell?

Charges filed against Willowbrook teen in Darien beating

The 17-year-old assailant, who was not named by the state's attorney's office, is charged with five counts of aggravated battery for the "traffic altercation," in which he punched Inderjit Mukker multiple times in the face last Tuesday evening in the Chicago suburb of Darien.

Mr. Mukker, who wears a turban and beard in observance of his Sikh faith, was on his way to the grocery store when another driver began yelling at him, calling him a "terrorist" and "Bin Laden." After repeatedly cutting off Mukker's vehicle, they pulled over to the side of the road. The other driver got out of his car and repeatedly beat Mukker in the face, knocking him unconscious.

How is this not a hate crime?

Sikh man called "terrorist," assaulted in hate attack

"Go back to your country, Bin Laden!"



I'm sorry for posting this upsetting photo, but I have to. This week in Chicago, a Sikh man was attacked in his car and violently beaten by an assailant who allegedly yelled "Terrorist, go back to your country, Bin Laden!"

'Terrorist, go back to your country,' attacker yelled in assault of Sikh man

53-year-old Inderjit Singh Mukker, who wears a beard and turban in observance of his Sikh faith, was driving to the grocery store in the Darien suburb of Chicago on Tuesday night when another driver pulled up to his car yelling racial slurs. The assailant then reached into Mukker's car and repeatedly punched him in the face.

Mukker lost consciousness and was taken to the hospital, where he received treatment for a fractured cheekbone, bruising and blood loss and six stitches for the lacerations on his face.

More than half of Sikh school children are bullied

"Go Home, Terrorist": A Report on the Bullying of Sikh American School Children



Last week, the Sikh Coalition released a groundbreaking national report on the endemic bullying of Sikh school children in America. The report was released at a briefing in the U.S. Capitol Building organized by the Congressional Anti-Bullying Caucus, the American Sikh Congressional Caucus, and the Sikh Coalition.

"Go Home, Terrorist": A Report on the Bullying of Sikh American School Children

The report found that the majority of Sikh children, just over 50%, endure school bullying. Even worse, over two-thirds of Sikh children report that they are bullied in school. The report is based on surveys and focus groups of over 700 Sikh school children and interviews of over 50 Sikh students in four metropolitan areas: Seattle, Indianapolis, Boston, and Fresno during 2012 and 2013.

The report cites the need for federal data on the bullying of Sikh school children to better target efforts to solve the issue. In addition, the absence of or negative representation of Sikhs in school textbooks nationwide is cited by the report as an opportunity to better combat or mitigate school bullying.

Here's video from the briefing, which included remarks from Rep. Mike Honda: