As the anniversary of the September 11 attacks approaches, the United States pauses to remember the thousands of innocent lives lost in one of the darkest moments of its history. But for the Sikh community, 9/11 carries an additional layer of pain—it marks the beginning of a long struggle against racial profiling, ignorance, and violence. Sikhs, with their distinct turbans and beards, were among the first communities to face brutal backlash in the aftermath of the attacks, despite having no connection to terrorism. Within days of 9/11, Sikh men were attacked, gurdwaras were vandalised, and families lived in fear, as ignorance wrongly associated their religious identity with extremism.
The earliest and most tragic example was the killing of Balbir Singh Sodhi, a Sikh gas station owner in Mesa, Arizona. Just four days after the attacks, Sodhi was shot dead by a man who declared he wanted to “kill a Muslim.” Sodhi was not Muslim, but his turban and beard made him a target of misplaced hatred. His murder became a symbol of how quickly Sikhs were misidentified and scapegoated in the national wave of anger and fear. Across the country, gurdwaras were vandalized, Sikh children faced bullying in schools, and many families hid their turbans out of fear for their safety. For the Sikh community, 9/11 was not only a day of national mourning but also the start of a decades-long struggle to assert their identity in America without fear of violence.
This tragic pattern has continued for more than two decades. The initial wave of hate after 9/11 may have faded from headlines, but the stigma it created has never disappeared. Each year, particularly around the 9/11 anniversary, Sikh advocacy organisations warn that bias-motivated incidents against Sikhs spike. This is not a matter of history alone—it is a lived reality in 2024 and 2025. According to FBI statistics, 156 anti-Sikh hate crime incidents were reported in 2023, while in 2024, the number stood at 153 incidents. Despite the slight decline, Sikhs remained the third most-targeted religious group in the country, after Jewish and Muslim Americans. Given that Sikhs make up less than one per cent of the U.S. population, this disproportionate targeting highlights the ongoing burden they carry.
The figures, however, tell only part of the story. Several Sikh organisations emphasise that the reality is far worse than official data suggests. Many victims of hate incidents never file police reports, either because of fear, language barriers, or distrust in authorities. Even when incidents are reported, law enforcement often fails to properly classify them as hate crimes, leaving the depth of anti-Sikh violence obscured. This underreporting means that the legacy of post-9/11 hostility toward Sikhs continues in ways that statistics cannot fully capture.
The year 2025 has already witnessed disturbing examples that echo the dark days after 9/11. In Queens, New York, a Sikh taxi driver was physically assaulted while his attacker yelled “terrorist” and threatened to kill him. In Texas, an Indian-origin man named Bhushan Athale was sentenced for issuing violent threats against Sikh nonprofit employees, even stating that he would cut their hair—an act that represents a profound violation of Sikh religious identity. In Los Angeles, 70-year-old Harpal Singh was brutally beaten with a golf club outside a gurdwara, leaving him in critical condition. Despite the apparent bias involved, authorities initially refused to categorize the attack as a hate crime, sparking outrage within the community. Each of these incidents shows how, even decades after 9/11, Sikhs continue to suffer violence rooted in ignorance and prejudice.
For Sikhs in America, the 9/11 anniversary is not only a day of shared national mourning but also a reminder of their unique vulnerability. While the nation remembers those lost in the attacks, Sikh Americans are reminded of the enduring suspicion and violence they have endured since that day. More than two decades later, they continue to fight for their right to practice their faith without fear, to wear their turbans and keep their beards without being targeted, and to live in America with the dignity and safety they deserve.
The lessons of 9/11 should remind us not only of the importance of security but also of the dangers of prejudice. The Sikh community has stood by the United States for over a century, contributing as soldiers, doctors, teachers, and entrepreneurs. Yet, they remain among the most misunderstood groups in the nation. As the anniversary of 9/11 arrives once again, it is crucial for America to reaffirm that hate, ignorance, and misplaced suspicion have no place in its future. Only then can the memory of 9/11 lead not just to remembrance of loss, but also to a renewed commitment to justice and equality for all communities.