UK Sikhs demand justice after alleged hate crime sexual assault

An alleged racially motivated sexual assault against a British-born Sikh woman has sparked community outrage and calls for justice in West Midlands, England.

“You don’t belong”: The woman in her 20s reported being sexually assaulted by two white men near Tame Road in Oldbury at around 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 9. During the attack, they allegedly made racist statements such as “You don’t belong in this country, get out.”

Investigators are treating the case as a hate crime and initially sought two white men: one with a heavy build and shaved head wearing dark clothing, and another in gray with a silver zipper. After a week-long investigation, police arrested a suspect Sunday evening. The man, who is in his 30s, was detained on suspicion of rape and remains in custody.

Victim speaks out: The victim issued a statement via the Sikh Federation UK on Saturday, expressing both trauma and gratitude for community support. “I would never wish this on anyone. All I was doing was going about my day on my way to work, and what has happened has deeply affected us. Through it all, my family has been my rock, and my community has stood strong beside me,” she said. “The police are doing their best to find those responsible and I truly hope they are caught so that this doesn’t happen to anyone else.”

Broader issues: Religious leaders and activists have linked the incident to broader social tensions in the U.K. For one, Dabinderjit Singh, the Sikh Federation’s lead executive for political engagement, pointed to the nation’s “current racist political environment” as contributing to such violence.

On Sunday, community members held demonstrations, beginning with prayers at Guru Nanak Gurdwara temple before marching to the scene of the attack. At the gathering, former temple leader Kuldeep Singh Deol declared, “This attack on our sister is shameful. Our daughters, sisters and mothers deserve to be safe, regardless of colour or which faith they belong to.”

Investigation into the case continues as authorities seek a second suspect.