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Rep. Shri Thanedar condemns vandalism of Detroit community center, calls for productive dialogue
Sharing photos of the vandalism on X, the US Congressman emphasized the need for open dialogue and denounced such acts of vandalism as counterproductive to constructive discourse.
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Shri Thanedar shared photos of the damage on X. / Screengrab X/@ShriThanedar
Indian-origin US Congressman Shri Thanedar issued a statement on X after his community center in Detroit was defaced with pro-Palestine graffiti. Thanedar also shared photos of the vandalization and damage on the social media platform.
The images show a red ‘X’ drawn over Thanedar's face, with the words "ceasefire”, "Free Palestine" and "racist" painted around the Detroit building. A spokesperson from Thanedar's office reportedly said that a police report had been filed.
"As a member of Congress, I am always open to dialogue and debate. Unfortunately, this vandalism of the community center is not an isolated incident, nor is it a productive form of communication. These acts create nothing but fear and division during a time that depends on open conversation and discourse,” Thanedar posted on X.
"In the past, I have dealt with other unproductive forms of protest. One that turned violent at a holiday party last December and another consisting of individuals demonstrating at my home at 3 in the morning. These incidents ended with people in the hospital and my loved ones feeling unsafe in their own bedrooms,” Thanedar added. "In this case, a place designed to bring our community together was vandalized in a way that seeks to drive it apart."
The Congressman ended his statement by saying: “I have had meetings about this with everyone that requested a meeting on my website. I have hosted town halls, held Zoom meetings, and spoken face-to-face with my constituents about this issue to make their voices heard in an appropriate and effective capacity. I am always open to productive and respectful dialogue, but this kind of vandalism is simply unacceptable.”
Thanedar recently highlighted the rise in hate crimes against the Hindu community in the US in recent times and expressed disappointment at the investigations in these instances leading to no results.
To address the issue, he recently introduced legislation that condemns Hinduphobia and misrepresentation of the Hindu community in the country. The legislation notes that despite significant contributions to the country across fields, the community continues to experience bullying with their places of worship being targeted.
According to the FBI report released on Oct.16, 2023, there were 25 occurrences of anti-Hindu hate crimes. The number grew more than double in 2022 compared to the previous year.
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