Hundreds rallied in Smethwick to support a Sikh woman raped in a racially motivated attack, as police face calls for urgent action.
Hundreds gathered in Smethwick on Sunday to support a young Sikh woman who was raped in what police have described as a “racially aggravated” attack. The victim, believed to be in her 20s, previously thanked the Sikh community for “being my voice.”
According to police, the woman was assaulted near Tame Road, Oldbury, by two white men who allegedly told her: “You don’t belong in this country, get out.” No arrests have been made, but West Midlands Police said they are pursuing “positive lines of enquiry.”
Community members assembled outside Guru Nanak Gurdwara temple in the rain before marching to the crime scene. “How could anybody justify this?” asked local councillor Parbinder Kaur. “I needed to be here as a woman to support my sister and her family.”
The Sikh Federation (UK) warned authorities to act swiftly, with representative Jas Singh saying: “Don’t force the hand of our community to deal with these matters if the state fails.”