East Bay Hindu temple vandalized

AN INTERNAL CONFLICT IN THE BAY AREA'S LARGE INDIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY. >> Reporter: IT'S BEEN A SHOCKING DAY FOR MANY MEMBERS OF THIS HINDU TEMPLE IN NEWARK. >> WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY, LAST NIGHT WAS LIKE A PURE ACTS OF VANDALISM. IT WAS LIKE VANDALISM AND VIOLENCE AGAINST THE INDIAN COMMUNITY. >> Reporter: THEY WERE SURPRISED THIS MORNING WHEN THEY FOUND THIS GRAFFITI. HE SAID IT'S CONCERNING BECAUSE IT'S THE FIRST TIME THEY'VE SEEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS SINCE THE TEMPLE OPENED ITS DOORS ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO. >> WHICH IS NOT REALLY SAFE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND THE ENTIRE CITY HERE. IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING IN OTHER TEMPLES AS WELL. >> Reporter: IT'S ANOTHER INTERNATIONAL CONFLICT THAT HITS HOME HERE IN THE BAY AREA SAYS THE CO-FOUNDER OF THE HINDU AMERICAN FOUNDATION. >> PEOPLE WHO PUT THOSE SYMBOLS AND NAMES UP, WHAT THEY'RE PROMOTING IS A SEPARATE STATE OF PALESTINE. IT IS WHAT PEOPLE WHO CALL THEMSELVES PALESTINIANS WANT IS A SEPARATE STATE. IF THE PEOPLE WHO DID THIS WANT THAT, THAT'S SOMETHING I THINK MOST AMERICANS, MOST INDIANS, MOST HINDUS DON'T WANT. >> Reporter: HE SAID THE COMMUNITY IN THE BAY AREA IS GROWING AND THOSE POLITICAL DIVISIONS ARE BECOMING PART OF THE DIVISION HERE. >> THE INDIAN CONSULATE WAS SET ON FIRE AND ATTACKED IN SAN FRANCISCO EARLIER THIS YEAR. THE FBI IS INVESTIGATING IT AS A HATE CRIME, CIA AND OTHERS THERE. HAVE BEEN ATTACKS ON THE UK IN LONDON AND TORONTO AND MULTIPLE TEMPLES ATTACKED IN THE UNITED STATES WITH SIMILAR SYMBOLS AND GRAFFITI. >> Reporter: THIS HASN'T BEEN CLASSIFIED AS A HATE CRIME YET, BUT NEWARK POLICE OFFICERS ARE INVESTIGATING. >> I'M CERTAINLY DISAPPOINTED THIS HAPPENED. WE'RE HERE TODAY TO LET YOU KNOW WE STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH YOU GUYS. WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN FROM THE CITY'S SIDE TO HELP RESOLVE THIS AND SEE IF WE CAN'T GET TO THE BOTTOM WHO DID THIS. >> Reporter: BUT FOR NOW THEY WILL CONTINUE COMING HERE TO PRAY AND TO SHOW SUPPORT TO EACH OTHER.

Channel: KPIX | CBS NEWS BAY AREA

Views: 7,251

Keywords: Religion and Spirituality, Crime, Vandalism, Graffiti

Id: 1F3aNMUIwwE

Length: 2min 21sec (141 seconds)

Published: Sat Dec 23 2023