SIKH News:

SANTA FE — A press conference will be held tonight at the India Palace Restaurant in Santa Fe to show support from the community for the owners of the restaurant after the restaurant was vandalized and defaced with hate speech two nights ago. 

“This hate crime is sickening and appalling,” Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber said. “We need to stand up as a community and denounce this despicable act. We will find whoever did it and punish them to the full extent of the law. The Singhs are a long-standing Sikh family that has used its own resources to feed homeless Santa Feans through the goodness of their hearts. For them to be attacked this way breaks our hearts. We absolutely reject racism, intolerance, and hate. As Mayor and as a community, we rise in unity to support the Singhs and their employees.”

The owner of India Palace, Baljit Singh, and his family will speak to the community tonight.

Elected officials and faith leaders are scheduled to speak at the event, including New Mexico State Auditor Brian Colón, State Rep. Andrea Romero, Secretary for the Department of Workforce Solutions Bill McCamley, and Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard. Simran Singh from the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), and Daya Singh Khalsa from the Sikh community in New Mexico will also speak.

“New Mexico is a beautiful and diverse tapestry of cultures, but white supremacy is threatening our way of life and our belief in dignity and respect for all people,” U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland said. “This hate crime was not only an attack on India Palace, it was an attack on all of us. I’m heartbroken to know that people in our state are so filled with hate that they would target a minority small business when times have been so hard under this health crisis. I stand in solidarity with the Singh family against hate and violence. This is not who we are and we will not stand for it.”

For more information about the Dharmic Office of Public Affairs visit: www.dharmic-opa.org.

What: Press conference to show community support for India Palace Restaurant

Who:  Baljit Singh, owner of India Palace, state and local elected officials, members of the Sikh community, SALDEF, and others

When: TONIGHT, June 24, 2020

Time:  5:45 p.m.

Where: Outside in front of India Palace Restaurant

            227 Don Gaspar Ave, Santa Fe, NM 87501