Hundreds gather to show solidarity with Sikh woman raped 'in racially aggravated attack'
The Sikh Federation (UK) has said the perpetrators allegedly told the woman during the attack: "You don't belong in this country, get out."
Sunday 14 September 2025 22:02, UK
Hundreds of people gathered to show support and solidarity to a British Sikh woman who was raped in what police have described as a "racially aggravated" attack.
It comes after the victim, who is believed to be in her 20s, published a statement earlier in the week thanking the Sikh community for "being my voice".
The Sikh Federation (UK) has said the perpetrators allegedly told the woman during the attack: "You don't belong in this country, get out."
The woman reported to police that she was attacked by two white men, near Tame Road in Oldbury.
Scores of people on Sunday gathered outside the Guru Nanak Gurdwara temple in Smethwick in the pouring rain, where they conducted prayers and offered their support, before heading down to the scene of the crime on Tame Road.
"How could anybody justify this?" asked Parbinder Kaur, a councillor for Smethwick, who said she was attending the protests as "a woman, a mother, a grandmother".
"I needed to be here as a woman to support my sister and her family," she said. "They will never recover from this."
Acknowledging that "tensions in the Sikh Community are high", Ms Kaur said her religion is one of peace and praying for humanity as a whole, which is why she believes "this is the time to unite".
Many of the speakers in attendance expressed fear about a perceived rise in anti-Sikh hate crimes, and what they say is a lack of political will to do anything about it.
Jas Singh, a representative of the Sikh Federation (UK), said that "as Sikhs, we have a very distinct identity, we are very unique".
Because of this, he believes Sikhs have "become a target".
While Mr Singh wants to allow the police to do their job and carry out their investigation, he warned they need to act fast.
"Don't force the hand of our community to deal with these matters if the state fails," he said. "We are giving the police 48 hours, we need to see action."
Mr Singh also questioned why Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, the MP for Birmingham Ladywood, is yet to speak out.
"Why is she so silent on the matter?" he said. "People are disappointed that as a woman of colour, in the next constituency, she has not commented or shared her thoughts with the community."
This was put to Gurinder Singh Josan, the MP for Smethwick, who was in attendance.
"I have been in touch with a minister in the equalities brief and [the] home secretary, but there is very little they can do at this point," he said.
"We do need to be careful, we are absolutely aware rape is a very difficult case to get a conviction on and politicians don't want to do anything that could damage that."
Police are still trying to identify the perpetrators of the attack, which they say is being treated as "racially aggravated".
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Officers said CCTV, forensics and other enquiries are well underway.
They have also appealed for anyone in the area who may have seen the men, or have any further information, to contact the force.
One of the men is described as having a shaved head, of heavy build, and was reported to be wearing a dark coloured sweatshirt and gloves.
The second man was reportedly wearing a grey top with a silver zip.