Sikhs family harassed by Harris County deputies

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The Sikh Coalition strongly condemns misbehavior by Harris County police officers towards a Sikh family whose home was burglarized in Houston last week. The officers' behavior sent a loud message to Sikhs and Muslims that they are second class citizens.

At the beginning of the Thanksgiving weekend, the Tagore family came home to find a window broken and their master bedroom ransacked. When they called 911 to report the crime, Harris County police officers were dispatched to investigate. But instead of pursuing the thieves, the police officers began grilling a family member. Officers ordered Ms. Kawaljeet Kaur to hand over her kirpan -- a religious article mandated by the Sikh faith -- which she wore over her shoulder. Ms. Kaur offered to leave the room if her kirpan made the officers uncomfortable, but to no avail.

Instead, she, along with her brother, mother and cousin, were handcuffed and led into the street. Officers verbally abused them as they were searched. An officer applied pressure to Ms. Kaur's back as she sat on the ground. One officer asked the family whether they had "heard about the bombings in Bombay" while another told them that he "knew about Muslims."

Hours later, the entire family was released without being arrested or charged.

"How can the police stop us from practicing our religion in our own home?" asked Ms. Kaur. "We called the police to help us. Instead, they humiliated and harassed us. They handcuffed my 60-year-old mother in front of my 8-year-old niece. They think they can get away with it because we look different."

"What happened at the Tagore home was shameful," said Amardeep Singh, Executive Director of the Sikh Coalition. "Through a combination of violence, racial prejudice and intimidation, the Harris County police turned innocent victims into perpetrators."

The Sikh Coalition calls upon Harris County to terminate four police officers involved in the incident and issue a formal apology to the family.

Sikhism is the fifth largest religion worldwide. Since 9/11, misperceptions about Sikhs' religiously mandated turbans and beards have led to hate attacks and discrimination against Sikhs across the country. The Sikh Coalition is a national civil rights organization dedicated to defending Sikhs' civil rights.

  • SOURCE Sikh Coalition Contact: Neha Singh, +1-510-659-0900, ext. 90 or Kawaljeet Kaur, +1-832-830-3944, both of the Sikh Coalition

External links

Stills from the video

  • "..treated us like we are not human.."

    "..treated us like we are not human.."

  • "..what does religion have to do with religion?"

    "..what does religion have to do with religion?"

  • "..the pushing and shoving started when the cops got here"

    "..the pushing and shoving started when the cops got here"

  • "..Burglarised victimized humiliated and detained in your own home..."

    "..Burglarised victimized humiliated and detained in your own home..."

  • The Tagore family let down by the police "Who forgot their duty to protect them"

    The Tagore family let down by the police "Who forgot their duty to protect them"

  • Mr Amarjit Singh Tagore, the victim

    Mr Amarjit Singh Tagore, the victim

  • "..[Policeman] noticed the kirpan ... his mindset totally switched"

    "..[Policeman] noticed the kirpan ... his mindset totally switched"

  • "..on the one hand we have been burglarized and on the other you are victimizing and terrorising us?"

    "..on the one hand we have been burglarized and on the other you are victimizing and terrorising us?"

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