Hate Crime Horror in West Midlands: British Sikh Woman Raped, Beaten Amid Rising Racist Tensions
England’s West Midlands is reeling from shock and anger after a young British-born Sikh woman in her 20s was brutally raped and assaulted in what police are treating as a racially motivated hate crime.
The September 9 attack in Oldbury, near Tame Road, has reignited fears of deepening racial hostility in the UK, with Sikh organisations, community leaders, and anti-racism groups condemning the incident as a disturbing reminder of how far-right narratives are spilling onto the streets.
According to the West Midlands Police, the victim was walking to work around 8:30 a.m. through a park when she was accosted by two white men.
The attackers allegedly hurled racist abuse at her—including taunts such as “You don’t belong in this country” and “Go back to your country”—before raping and assaulting her.
The young woman, a British citizen of Indian origin, immediately reported the incident, sparking an urgent police investigation.
Police described one suspect as being in his 30s, with a shaved head, wearing a grey hoodie, black tracksuit bottoms, trainers, and gloves.
The second suspect’s description is less detailed. Officers have appealed to residents with CCTV, dashcam, or doorbell footage to come forward, while additional patrols have been deployed in Oldbury to reassure the shaken community.
Community leaders have been quick to speak out. Jas Singh of the Sikh Federation (UK) shared a statement from the survivor, in which she said: “I would never wish this on anyone.
I was simply on my way to work when this happened. My family and community have been my rock. I hope the men responsible are caught so no one else suffers like this.”
Dabinderjit Singh, lead executive of the Sikh Federation UK, linked the rising xenophobia to the toxic political atmosphere since Brexit.
“Our Prime Minister, earlier this year, referred to Britain as an island of foreigners. Ironically, this horrific rape has occurred in the constituency of a Sikh MP who had defended that remark,” he said.
Oldbury falls under the Smethwick constituency, represented by Labour MP Gurinder Singh Josan, who called the attack “truly horrific” and confirmed it was being investigated as a hate crime.
“I am reassured Sandwell police are doing everything possible to find the perpetrators. They are working with the victim at her pace as she deals with the trauma,” he said.
Other voices from the Sikh and South Asian community have condemned not just the crime, but also the broader climate that enables such violence.
Television presenter Narinder Kaur accused politicians and the media of fueling racism. “You cannot feed the beast of racism daily and then feign shock when violence erupts against minorities,” she wrote on X.
The crime comes against the backdrop of a wave of anti-immigration demonstrations across the UK.
On Saturday, nearly 100,000 people rallied in London under far-right activist Tommy Robinson’s “Unite the Kingdom” march, one of over 100 such rallies that have taken place across 60 towns since mid-July.
Oldbury itself has seen protests outside hotels housing asylum seekers.
Kamal Preet Kaur, Councillor in the London Borough of Hillingdon, said the attack has deeply unsettled the Sikh community. “We pride ourselves on being an integral part of the British fabric, contributing in all walks of life.
Yet women, especially, are feeling vulnerable. I urge anyone experiencing racism or hate to report it to the police,” she said.
Incidents against Sikhs are not isolated. Just last month, two elderly Sikh drivers were assaulted in separate incidents, and community members continue to report verbal abuse in public spaces.
While even far-right figure Tommy Robinson condemned the Oldbury rapists as “scum,” Sikh leaders argue that the hostility unleashed by anti-immigrant rhetoric is spiraling beyond control.
The survivor’s ordeal is not just a story of one young woman’s trauma—it has become a rallying point for those calling for urgent political, social, and legal measures to address Britain’s growing crisis of racism and xenophobia.
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