The CoHNA Youth Action Network (CYAN) has condemned the “violent assault” of a Sikh student near MacQuarrie Hall on February 7 at San Jose State University, where he was reportedly attacked by a group of individuals, “forced to the ground, and had his turban torn off.”

“This is a reprehensible act of hate and intimidation,” CYAN said in a statement.

According to the organization, the attackers allegedly used “Hindu” as a slur during the assault, which CYAN characterized as a case of “Hinduphobia.” The group noted that although the victim was an observant Sikh student, the reported use of the term “Hindu” in conjunction with violence reflected what it described as the attackers’ “intended bigotry.”

“This should not be viewed as an isolated incident. It fits a clear, escalating pattern of Hinduphobia,” the statement said. CYAN added that over the past three years, hate targeting Hindus in California has increased in ways that are both visible and measurable, ranging from “slurs and intimidation to attacks on sacred spaces.” Between December 2023 and March 2025, four Hindu temples were vandalized, including what it described as the state’s largest Hindu temple and two in the Bay Area.

Citing statewide data, the organization also pointed to findings from a 2024 report by the California Civil Rights Department, which indicated that nearly a quarter of reported religion-based hate incidents targeted Hindus. 

According to the report, anti-Jewish incidents accounted for 36.9 percent, anti-Hindu incidents for 23.3 percent, and anti-Muslim incidents for 14.6 percent of reported cases. CYAN also referenced California’s 2025 hate crime report, stating that anti-Hindu incidents have risen for four consecutive years. “When you zoom out, it’s impossible to pretend this was random or disconnected,” the statement added.

“We stand with the Sikh student and the Sikh community on campus. At the same time, we refuse to accept the erasure of the Hinduphobic element of this incident,” the organization said. “Naming the bias incident appropriately is not just optional; it is the bare minimum for accountability, for prevention, and for student safety.”

CYAN further stated that reports indicating the assailants were non-students raised concerns about campus security and the safety of Hindu and Indian students.

The organization called on university leadership to take immediate action, including explicitly acknowledging and condemning Hinduphobia, engaging directly with Hindu student organizations to provide trauma-informed support, and implementing Hindu and Sikh awareness programming while strengthening campus-wide protections.

“Hindu students deserve protection, dignity, and inclusion just like every other community on campus. And it is the University’s responsibility to ensure these fundamental rights are not ignored,” the statement added. 

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