Conservative activists led by Jake Lang stormed Deepavali celebrations in Seattle carrying placards calling for deporting all “dot heads”, an act that was swiftly condemned by U.S. lawmakers and community leaders.
“I am beyond disgusted by this vile and racist display. Diwali is an important holiday and our community should feel safe to celebrate it. This hateful display has no place in our city or this country,” Ms.
Jayapal, the Congresswoman from Washington, said in a post on X. “We condemn such actions and advise community members to stay vigilant while celebrating Diwali, as these activists have announced plans to disrupt other celebrations,” Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) said in a post on X. Sunita Vishwanath, co-founder of Hindus for Human Rights, said anti-immigrant sentiment has taken the form of anti-Hindu hatred extreme enough for Christian xenophobes to “storm” a Deepavali celebration in Seattle with signs like, “Deport all Dotheads.”
“Washington state is proud to be home to one of the largest communities of Indian Americans in the country. During the previous decade, we had the fastest-growing Indian American population in the entire country. And we have seen this community contribute so much to our state,” Mr.
“We urge the Hindu community to stay vigilant and report any suspicious or hateful activity to local law enforcement,” advocacy group HinduPACT said in a post on X. Ferguson said.
