Less than a week after a Sikh man was beaten and his truck vandalized with a racist message, another Sikh man was assaulted in Manteca, California, reports the Modesto Bee. Video footage caught on Monday shows two adult males confronted Sahib Singh Natt, kicked him repeatedly, and spat on him, in what the police are investigating as an attempted robbery.
In the video, Natt, in his 70s, attempted to walk around the two men after being confronted during his daily walk, but they followed him. After being kicked and knocked to the ground, Natt got up to defend himself, at which point he was kicked down again. After his attackers began to leave, one returned to kick Natt several more times while he was still on the ground.
“As the suspects left the scene, it is believed that one may have waved a firearm in the air,” according to police. “The elderly man was medically treated and released from a local hospital.”
“He was in such a shock,” said relative Parminder Singh Sahi, according to FOX40. “He was not able to tell us exactly what happened so he would tell us one thing and then he will mumble and say something else.” An epileptic seizure seven years ago has impaired Natt’s ability to communicate with others.
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“We were disheartened, we were shaken, it was way worse than what we were thinking may have happened to him,” added Sahi.
According to officials, there are no indications so far that the assault was a hate crime, especially since Natt is unable to tell officers exactly what his attackers said.
The full confrontation is shown in the video below. Warning: contains disturbing content.
According to Buzzfeed News, Sikh Coalition Legal Director Amrith Kaur released the following statement: “We are currently investigating the case and looking to directly connect with the impacted community member to guarantee that his legal rights are protected and that all steps are taken to thoroughly investigate this crime. At this stage, we are closely monitoring the situation in order to determine what the evidence shows the motivation of this vicious attack to be. We hope to learn more soon and will share appropriate updates then.”
Last Tuesday, the words “Go back to ur country” and a Celtic Cross, believed to be a hate symbol used by White supremacists, were spray-painted onto a 50-year-old Sikh man’s truck. The victim was beaten to the ground and told by his attackers, “You’re not welcome here!” and “Go back to your country!” This incident is being investigated as a hate crime.
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RE: Another Sikh Man Attacked in California: When I moved to California from the Midwest, it was to the city of Stockton in the San Joachin Co. not far from Manteca. Besides one racist incident by the Dean of Women at Beloit College, it was the first place I experienced a generalized blatant racism in New Orleans as a child. The California valley is not like the California coast. Conservative and prejudiced.