Rally held to condemn hate, support Sikh boy from Syosset attacked in mall

It wasn’t until Chazbir Singh Bedi was punched in the face for wearing his Sikh turban that he realized that he had been harassed most of his life for his religion.

Bedi, 13, of Syosset said the attack last month against him and another friend wearing a turban — traditional religious headwear also known as a patka — at the Walt Whitman Shops in Huntington Station was eye opening in that he and his friends face discrimination or harassment by many who do not understand or share his religion.

"We didn’t think anything was racially motivated, but it happens almost every day," said Bedi, who goes by Chaz. "I have to live with it and I realized we’ve been living with it all along."

About 100 people, mostly from the Sikh community, gathered Saturday at the Guru Nanak Darbar temple in Hicksville, for a unity rally with Oyster Bay Town officials to condemn hate and show support to Bedi and his family.

Suffolk County police charged a 13-year-old boy, who was not identified, with a hate crime misdemeanor of aggravated harassment for shouting disparaging comments and threatening to knock the turban off Bedi's head.

Although Bedi recovered from the attack at the mall, he said he no longer feels safe going back to the mall alone or without a large group.

Elected officials and Sikh leaders chanted, "peace, love and unity," as they called for more understanding, education and acceptance for all minorities and facets of the community.

"Together with strength, we can open up closed minds," Bedi said. This has been happening for many years to all minorities. We can change the world as we know it."

Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino called for the community to shun hate and make better neighbors with love and acceptance.

"It would be easy to hit back, but this was so much more important to bring people together and speaks about our community supporting one another and doing the right thing," Saladino said. "Love will overcome hate every single time. Our strength lies in our diversity."

Other children spoke about bullying and overcoming differences to find unity in the community.

Bedi’s father, Satbir Singh, commended his son for rising above the violence and working to overcome hate. He called Hicksville a melting pot where different cultures are accepted. He said teaching has to start at home.

"We don’t compare religions. We believe in one God. It’s like we’re all going to the Knicks game but taking a different route," Singh said. "We’re all going to the better place. Choose your own path and be a good person and have God in your heart."

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.