A 20-year-old man has been charged after allegedly destroying a Sikh religious scripture outside a temple in Western Australia and posting the footage online.
The video shows a brown-skinned man tearing and stepping on the book, called the Guru Granth Sahib, outside the Sikh building in Canning Vale, Perth, before tearing out pages, setting them on fire flushing them down a toilet.
The August 27 incident enraged Sikhs around the world, with many blaming Pakistani Muslims while some from the Khalistani faction claimed Hindus and the Indian state were responsible.
Gutka Sahib Desecration (Beadbi) Sparks Action in Perth, Australia
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1/ On August 29, 2024, a TikTok video showed someone desecrating a Gutka Sahib outside the #Gurudwara in Canning Vale, #Perth, by stomping, ripping,& burning it. The incident shocked the local #Sikh community. pic.twitter.com/egn757roye— Samar Singh (@singhsamar_) September 4, 2024
WA Police on Saturday charged a man, 20, with “conduct intended to racially harass”, saying the incident “caused significant emotional distress to the Sikh community in Western Australia and globally”.
“The investigation is ongoing, however at this time it is believed it is likely the 20-year-old man acted alone. We request the public to avoid any speculation and to share information only from credible sources,” police said in a statement.
“We thank the community, in particular members and leaders of the Sikh community, for their cooperation and support during the course of this investigation.”
The incident resulted in Sikhs tearing out pages of the Quran and stepping on it in retaliation after rumours circulated on TikTok that a Pakistani Muslim was to blame.
The Gurduara Council of Victoria said in a statement after the incident: “This has caused deep emotional pain and outrage within the Sikh community in Australia. This is the first incident of its kind in Australia, where Sikhs have been integral to the social fabric for over 150 years.
“The Sikh community is heartbroken, devastated, and angered by this desecration, which is the worst offence that could ever be inflicted on Sikhs.
“We urge the Australian Government to implement legislation safeguarding the sacred religious texts of all faiths, including the Living Guru of Sikhs.”
The Hindu Council of Australia also made a statement on August 30, saying it stood in “full solidarity” with the Sikh community, and called for calm along with the Sigh Association of Western Australia.
