An American man is facing hate crime charges for allegedly punching a 63-year-old Sikh, whom he called an Arab, and breaking his jaw and nose before shouting racial slurs outside a gurudwara in New York.
David C Wood, 36, who attacked Jabeet Chadha on January 14, faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
Wood was arraigned this week on charges of second-degree assault as a hate crime, second and third-degree assault and second-degree aggravated harassment. He was ordered held on US$10,000 bail and will return to court on January 30.
Wood allegedly told Chadha, "Arab, go back to your country" when the latter was about to enter the gurudwara in New Hyde Park, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said. Wood then allegedly told Chadha "you don't listen" and punched him in the face, the DA said.
Chadha's nose and jaw were broken in the attack and he is on a liquid diet due to his injuries. He will need surgery on his nose and will have a medical consultation on what to do about his jaw after the swelling goes down, Brown said.
"Crimes motivated by bias -- particularly those involving violence --will never be tolerated in this county," the DA said in a statement. "When they do regrettably occur, they will be vigorously prosecuted and those involved will be severely punished."
Sikhs have been facing hate crimes throughout the country after the 9/11 attack as people mistake their turbans for a Muslim headdress.
"Sikhs are targeted because of our appearance. There's a lot of ignorance, anger and hate," said Jaspreet Singh, a staff attorney for rights group United Sikhs.
United Sikhs stated that the gurdwara and its congregants have had issues with Wood, who lives near the place of worship, in the past.
"Wood had sometimes turned speakers playing loud music towards the gurdwara during a prayer service," it said in a release. "In the past, gurdwara officials reminded congregants to park at a distance and also warned parents to keep their children away from Wood's house."
Several attacks on Sikhs have been reported in Queens in recent years. On September 11, 2001, Attar Singh Bhatia was beaten with a baseball bat in Richmond Hill.
On July 11, 2004, Rajinder Singh Khalsa and his brother were severely beaten in front of his brother's restaurant in Richmond Hill, local media reports said.