June 1, 2005 - Jewish Community sends support to victim
For immediate release
Vancouver - Canadian Jewish Congress, Pacific Region is expressing shock and offering support and solidarity to the victim of a vicious attack in Richmond last week.
A young man, whose identity has not been made public, was attacked on the grounds of a Richmond school Thursday. RCMP report that the teenager was subjected to racial slurs, that his turban was torn from his person and his hair was cut with a blade, in contravention of his Sikh religious tradition.
“On behalf of the Jewish community of British Columbia and Canada, I have conveyed, through the RCMP, my deep and heartfelt support and solidarity with the young man, his family and his community,” said Mark Weintraub, chair of Canadian Jewish Congress, Pacific Region. “We have conveyed to our friends in the Sikh community our revulsion at the assault, with its added injury to the religious dignity of the individual victim and his entire community.”
Police are not stating explicitly whether the incident is to be treated as a hate crime.Weintraub said investigative and judicial processes will unfold in days to come, but took the opportunity to restate that his community stands with the victim, his family and community.
“We join with Sikh Canadians in bearing the painful burden of this attack, which has implications for the targeted individual, as well as broader implications for Canadian society,” said Weintraub. “The wishes and empathy of our community are with the young man and his family. The resources of our communal structure are at the disposal of police and the Sikh community if there is any contribution we can make to alleviate the suffering or to facilitate justice.”
Canadian Jewish Congress has been a strong proponent of government support to combat hate- and bias-motivated incidents. Canadian Jewish Congress, Pacific Region, contends that crimes perpetrated against members of cultural communities have impacts beyond the victim themselves and deleteriously affect the cohesion and safety of society as a whole.-30-
Contact:
Erwin Nest
Executive Director
Canadian Jewish Congress, Pacific Region
604-257-5101 (office)
erwinn@cjc.ca
www.cjc.ca
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