Stop Anti-Sikh Discrimination by the Port Authority

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The Sikh Coalition is joining the New York and New Jersey sangats in calling for an end to anti-Sikh discrimination by the New York and New Jersey Port Authority. Earlier this month, a Sikh taxi driver was wrongfully arrested and charged for carrying his kirpan while on the job; unfortunately, this is not the first such incident in recent memory. Sikh taxi and rideshare drivers have enough to worry about without also having to fear infringement on their religious rights—including their right to maintain their kirpan.

Use the below form to send a message to the Inspector General of the Port Authority calling for a statement against anti-Sikh discrimination, new trainings for all kinds of Port Authority employees, and a review of Port Authority anti-discrimination policies. When you're done, send this link — thesikh.co/port-authority — to other family and friends in New York or New Jersey so that they can take action too. Together, we will keep fighting for the rights of all Sikhs to practice their faith fearlessly!

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Inspector General of the Port Authority

Subject: The Port Authority Must Stop Anti-Sikh Discrimination

Message:

As a member of the Sikh community in the greater New York/New Jersey area, I am writing to urge that the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey take immediate and significant steps to end any and all discriminatory treatment against Sikh individuals, including specifically Sikh taxi drivers.

Specifically, in early August, taxi driver Ruppenjot Singh was falsely accused of threatening a dispatcher at John F. Kennedy International Airport with his kirpan, a Sikh article of faith, and subsequently arrested. Despite eyewitness reports that Mr. Singh did not remove or brandish his kirpan, charges against him have still not been dropped. Moreover, while Mr. Singh’s case is the latest example of this discriminatory treatment, it is not the first one; another Sikh driver was similarly harassed within the last four months.

As you may know, the kirpan is an article of faith in Sikhism, the world’s fifth-largest organized religion. Kirpans resemble a small, sheathed sword, and they remind Sikhs to always stand for injustice. Though some non-Sikh individuals view kirpans with suspicion or even alarm, it is absolutely legal to carry a kirpan: Sikhs have been mistakenly arrested and charged under anti-weapons statutes for carrying kirpans, but those charges have been consistently dropped by prosecutors or dismissed by judges because of the kirpan’s status as an article of faith and Sikhs’ peaceful intent in wearing them.

The Port Authority’s pattern of discriminating against Sikhs who keep their kirpans brings additional stress to an already often-targeted group. Across the nation, Sikh taxi and rideshare drivers have suffered violent hate crimes on the basis of their turbans, religiously-maintained articles of faith, including unshorn beards, and/or other aspects of their identity (including skin color, language, national origin, and more). No one should have to fear hate or discrimination—personal or institutional—when they are simply trying to earn a paycheck to support themselves and their families.

As the head of the Port Authority, we urge you to issue a statement denouncing anti-Sikh discrimination, update any policies related to accommodations for articles of faith so that Sikhs and kirpans are better protected, and move to ensure that all personnel under your leadership receive adequate educational training regarding the beliefs and practices of Sikhs.

I thank you in advance for hearing the concerns of our community and your prompt attention to this matter.

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