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Washington, D.C. | www.mpac.org ([link removed]) | August 13, 2025 — The Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) condemns the violent assault on Harpal Singh, a 70-year-old Sikh man who was attacked with a golf club last Monday while on his afternoon walk near the Sikh Gurdwara of Los Angeles. We extend our prayers for Mr. Singh’s full recovery and stand in solidarity with the Sikh community.

According to the LAPD, the suspect has an extensive criminal record for narcotics, assault with a deadly weapon, and various weapons charges. Detectives have preliminarily stated they do not believe the assault was a hate crime, asserting it was “motivated by a dispute over property belonging to the victim.” (ABC). The Sikh Coalition has issued a statement questioning these findings, noting that Mr. Singh remains in critical condition and has not been able to provide a full interview, and that the suspect had been in custody for less than 24 hours when this initial conclusion was reached.

MPAC’s position is clear: it is impossible to conclusively rule out a bias motive at this stage, and we urge law enforcement to keep the hate-crime classification open while evidence is gathered and evaluated. Prematurely closing the door on a potential bias motivation harms public trust while risking overlooking critical history of prior conduct.

This attack cannot be viewed in isolation from the broader climate of xenophobia and Islamophobia, which is often amplified by rhetoric from officials in positions of power. Such prejudice does not only endanger one community—it puts all Americans at risk, especially those who visibly practice their faith, including Sikh, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, and other religious minorities. When public discourse or official messaging normalizes suspicion or hostility toward religious communities, it emboldens acts of hate and undermines the safety, dignity, and equal protection of every person in this country.

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