Support for Sikh community captures media attention; Dearborn mosque also hit

The interfaith rally against the vandalism of a Sterling Heights worship site captured the attention of many news media outlets last week.  Among the highlights:

NBC affiliate WDIV posted this video:  Community bans together against vandalism

The Shelby Township news: Groups offer support after vandals damage Sikh house of worship

Detroit Free Press: Ralliers to cleanse anti-Muslim graffiti today from Sikh temple in Sterling Heights

Sadly, another house of worship was attacked by vandals last week in Dearborn, Michigan:

In the Dearborn Patch: Police Investigating Vandalism of Dearborn Mosque

According to the Detroit Free Press: Three Dearborn buildings defaced with graffiti

Interfaith leaders rally against hate, host 'cleansing' of Sikh worship site

Civic and faith leaders from metropolitan Detroit are hosting a news conference Friday to protest the recent vandalism of a Sikh holy worship site and offer support and symbolic protection for the sacred space.

In the early morning of February 6, graffiti vandalism was discovered at the Gurdwara (Sikh place of worship) construction site in Sterling Heights, Michigan. The graffiti included vulgar language, epithets, apparent cross and gun drawings, and references to the attacks of September 11, 2001. Click here to see a photograph of the vandalized site.

Community leaders from the Sikh Society of Michigan, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, the Interfaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit, the Interfaith Center for Racial Justice, the Troy Interfaith Group, Women's Interfaith Solutions for Dialogue and Outreach in Metropolitan Detroit (WISDOM), Congressman Gary Peters' office, and other community leaders will host the press conference.

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