Punched because I wear a turban: Sikh man called ‘terrorist’, denied entry to Poland club

“A bouncer at a nightclub in Poland punched me in the face because I wear a turban.” This is how Navjot Sawhney, a London-based Sikh man, recounts his experiences at a club called Shakers in Kraków on Saturday, where he was refused entry because he was seen as a ’terrorist’.  Sawhney’s post, on his Facebook page called ‘Nav’s Project 365’ has gone viral with 3,600 shares and countless messages of support. “I was refused entrance to Shakers Krakow because my face and dress didn’t correspond to a man’s view of what humanity should look like. I listened while the bouncer verbally abused me, spat at me, and called me a terrorist.  I stood my ground while he and his five colleagues surrounded me, and politely explained why his views were offensive. I offered to shake his hand, agree to disagree and move on, and he punched me with so much force that my turban was knocked off my head. My religion and identity lay in a muddy puddle on the ground, to be trampled and trodden underfoot,” he wrote. [caption id=“attachment_2535892” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Navjot Sawhney. Image Credit: Facebook[/caption] Incidentally, the incident occurred on the same day as he visited the Nazi concentration camp in Auschwitz, and he highlights the inherent racism in several European countries in the post.  However, he chosen to use this incident to call for ‘compassion and tolerance.’ “Racists and bigots shout loudly. But our solidarity will shame them. Our compassion will silence them. Our tolerance will blind them,” he wrote in his original post. It should be noted here that Sawhney is a turbaned and bearded Sikh, which is the reason he was ‘mistaken’ for a ’terrorist’. But more shocking than the incident itself, is the reaction of the police authorities. “They (police) made a note of the bouncer’s details, but told me that I shouldn’t expect the same treatment in Poland that I would get in the UK. That in Poland, white people and brown people are different. They said if I really wanted to continue the conversation, I would have to get in their van. Having just heard them say that a brown man in Poland shouldn’t expect the same rights as a white one, I chose to decline their offer,” the post continues.

On Saturday night, a bouncer at a nightclub in Poland punched me in the face because I wear a turban. It’s a… Posted by Nav’s Project 365 on  Monday, November 30, 2015

The Polish Embassy in UK has responded to Sawhney’s Facebook post saying that they will look into the matter. “We are very sorry about what happened to you. Such racist behaviour is unacceptable and we are glad to hear that many people stopped to express their support for you and contempt for the incident. Thank you for all your replies and genuine concern. We have flagged the incident to our Police Liaison Officer in London who has contacted Kraków Police. They are looking into this matter,” reads they comment. A few days later, Sawhney uploaded a statement from the club, apologising for the incident. He also thanked all the people, especially the Polish citizens, who stoop up for him and ‘reaffirmed is belief in humanity’. He signed off saying, “Humanity isn’t disgusting. Just the views of a minority. And I’d like to think even they can be changed.”

Firstly: thank you. The support and encouragement I have received since I posted about my experience in Krakow has been… Posted by Nav’s Project 365 on  Wednesday, December 2, 2015