The Canadian Bazaar
TORONTO: In a racist attack on a Sikh man in Ottawa on Friday, two white men assaulted him, tore off his turban and dragged him on the ground. They stole his turban, phone and bus pass and fled.
According to a press release by Ottawa Police, the incident with `racial overtones’ took place at about 11.25 pm on March 23 when the Sikh man was waiting for a bus at Carling/Merivale after leaving his workplace near the Westgate Mall.
The victim was approached by two suspects who asked him about his ethnicity. They also asked him about cutting his beard and hair.
“They also asked him whether he’d ever cut his hair or his beard, so, that’s pretty specific, so at a minimum we’re suggesting at this point that there were some racial overtones to this,” Staff Sgt. Mike Haarbosch of the Ottawa police was quoted as saying.
“They also asked him whether he’d ever cut his hair or his beard, so, that’s pretty specific, so at a minimum we’re suggesting at this point that there were some racial overtones to this.”
The two suspects left but then returned and asked for change from the Sikh man. The attackers then started making racial slurs against the Sikh man as one of the suspects took out a knife.
The Sikh man ran to a nearby business to seek safety, but he could not gain entry because of the locked doors. He was assaulted by the two suspects, dragged on the ground, and threatened, according to the police press release.
The victim sustained minor injuries, and was treated at the scene by paramedics.
The attackers took away the victim’s turban, phone and bus pass.
The first suspect is a white man in his 20s, about 5’10” tall, and clean shaven, with short blonde/brown hair. He was wearing a orange type sweatshirt, blue jeans, and runners at the time of the attack.
The second suspect is a white man in his 20’s, approximately 5’6” tall, clean shaven and wearing blue track pants.
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