Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Sydney police investigate after Sikh men targeted in vehicle attack

The victims have reportedly said they believe they were targeted because they were wearing turbans

Chantal da Silva
Thursday 04 March 2021 17:17 EST
Comments
New South Wales police officers patrol an area in front of the Harbour Bridge in central Sydney on 31 December, 2020. Police are investigating after a group of Sikh men were attacked in a vehicle.
New South Wales police officers patrol an area in front of the Harbour Bridge in central Sydney on 31 December, 2020. Police are investigating after a group of Sikh men were attacked in a vehicle. (AFP via Getty Images)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Police in Sydney, Australia, are investigating after a group of Sikh men say the vehicle they were driving in was attacked, with the men alleging that they were targeted because they were wearing turbans.

CCTV footage aired by 7 News shows a vehicle fleeing a group of men appearing to be armed with wooden bats.

The incident left the vehicle with more than $10,000 in damages, with the windscreen smashed, the victims have said.

They told the broadcaster they were able to escape their assailants, but were chased and attacked again.

In a statement sent to The Independent, a spokesperson for the New South Wales Police Force said officers from the Parramatta Police Area Command had commenced an investigation over the incident.

Asked whether it was being investigated as a potential hate crime, they said it is being investigated as a crime.

The department confirmed that the driver of the vehicle, a 23-year-old, was allegedly attacked with “wooden bats and hammers”.

The driver told police he drove off, but was pursued again before making it to Granville Police Station to report the incident.

The incident unfolded in an area where tensions have been simmering between Sikh and Indian government supporters in Western, Sydney, police told 7 News.

Tensions have been on the rise in the wake of ongoing protests over farming laws in India seeking to deregulate wholesale trading.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in