Symbols of race hate daubed on Sikh temple
13 August 2009
Racists have daubed far-Right extremist logos and a swastika on the side of a Sikh temple in Northampton.
The graffiti has appeared on a wall of the gurdwara and ramgarhia centre in Craven Street in The Mounts, and features the letters NF – standing for National Front – and makes offences comments to the Sikh community.
It is thought the damage was caused at some point during the night between Tuesday, August 11 and yesterday morning.
Anjona Roy, chief executive of the Northamptonshire Rights and Equality Council, said reports of racist graffiti were on the rise in the county.
She said: "The year before last, this would have been completely unheard of. But we are hearing of this type of racist graffiti, which has political far-Right undertones, more and more often.
"This is a deliberate act, designed to intimidate not just the members of the Sikh community but also other communities living in what is a very diverse part of town.
"There is a synagogue and Muslim prayer centres within a stone's throw of the gurdwara, and this graffiti will have an enormous impact on all of them."
The graffiti has appeared days after what was believed to be a racist fight on The Racecourse.
Paul Varnsverry (Lib Dem, West Hunsbury), Northampton Borough Council's cabinet member for communities, said: "This is completely unacceptable and of course it does not reflect the vast majority of people living in Northampton. Community relations in the town are generally exceptionally good.
"Unfortunately there is a tiny minority of narrow-minded bigots who think this type of expression is acceptable. It is not."
He added the borough council dealt with racist graffiti as "a matter of priority" and vowed offensive messages would be removed within 24 hours of them being reported to the authority.
Paul Crofts, of Northamptonshire West Hate Incident Forum, told the Chronicle & Echo: "In my view, this is a form of terrorism, designed purely to intimidate people of all religions and those of no religion.
"To paint a swastika on a place of worship is despicable."
The temple graffiti had been removed by 3pm yesterday.
with thanks : source : http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/Symbols-of-race-hate-daubed.5548902.jp
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