Armed men occupy Sikh temple in the UK

[Recursion]

Source: India.com

Armed police today surrounded a Gurdwara in the West Midlands region of England after a gang of 20-30 sword-wielding men stormed the Sikh temple, apparently opposing a mixed race marriage between a Sikh and a non-Sikh couple. Specially trained officers from Warwickshire Police are now believed to be inside Gurdwara Sahib in the town of Leamington Spa to negotiate with the men. A spokesperson for Warwickshire Police said: “The report was received at 6.47 am after a group of between 20 and 30 men entered the temple. “This is currently being treated as aggravated trespass and at this time we believe that it is an escalation of an ongoing local dispute. “We believe that some of the men are in possession of bladed items and as such armed officers have been deployed to the scene. Officers are inside the temple to negotiate a peaceful resolution. “We would like to reassure people that this is not being treated as a terrorist incident,” he said.(ALSO READ: Sikh holy book thrown over locked gates of UK gurdwara)

The spokesperson confirmed religious leaders in the temple were working with officers to negotiate a peaceful resolution. “There are police cordons in place around the temple and we would ask that people avoid the immediate area while the incident is resolved,” he said. Some reports claimed the armed gang is demonstrating against a mixed race marriage, although this remains unconfirmed. Jatinder Singh Birdi, a former treasurer at the temple, said a marriage between a Sikh and non-Sikh couple was due to take place. “There have been tensions that have been going on for a couple of years with some people objecting to mixed marriages in taking place in the Gurdwara,” he told BBC.

“The general consensus is people are respectful of mixed marriages if the traditions are respected. Nothing has happened on this level before. This is meant to be one of the happiest moments of somebody’s life – it shows a lack of respect,” he said. A police cordon is currently in force around the temple while officers and religious leaders try to end the stand-off.

Read more: http://www.india.com/news/world/armed-men-occupy-sikh-temple-in-the-uk-1480543/

[mdbl]

1. as usual, a bunch of religious weirdos

thank god I'm becoming atheist.

[Eugene]

2. Leamington Spa Sikh temple protest: Fifty-five arrested

Source: BBC

Leamington Spa Sikh temple protest: Fifty-five arrested

11 September 2016 Coventry & Warwickshire

Fifty-five people have been arrested after an eight-hour protest at a temple in a row over mixed marriages.

Police said a group of men, some carrying weapons many of which were ceremonial knives, entered the Gurdwara Sahib in Leamington Spa at 06:45 BST.

Former treasurer Jatinder Singh Birdi said a marriage between a Sikh and non-Sikh had been due to take place.

The group Sikh 2 Inspire and a separate group called Sikh Youth UK both said they staged a "peaceful protest".

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Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-37332307

[Blue_Tires]

3. Once again, an extremist group thinks their religion overrides national laws...

All over a wedding? It's like we're moving backwards at light speed?

[GummyBearz]

4. Why would the british go to such extremes over an interracial marriage??

[Blue_Tires]

5. It all makes sense now -- Trying to "keep control" of their women

evidently the Sikh was a woman marrying a non-Sikh male, and some in that community don't look fondly on eligible women from a fairly small dating pool "marrying out"

No way in hell would they have pulled this shit if the genders were reversed..