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	Mob attacks Gurudwara Nankana Sahib LAHORE: An angry mob of citizens and students attacked the Gurudwara Nankana Sahib on Saturday morning in protest against a committee's recommendation that the Punjab government give the Government Guru Nanak Degree College to the Evacuee Trust Property Board. 7/7/2004 -- Baptized Sikhs carrying swords denied entry Sikhs from various parts of the world have come to Barcelona to exchange ideas on the issues of peace. It was disappointing for the Amritdhari (Baptised) Sikhs on the opening day of the Forum when they were denied entry into the main building because they were carrying their swords “Kirpan”. Director of the UNITED SIKHS for the North America Kuldip Singh, who is in Barcelona for a presentation in PWR, took the initiative along with a group of Amritdhari Sikhs from Surrey, Canada to resolve the confusion. 7/7/2004 -- Sikh men attacked in alleged bias crime Queens, NY – UNITED SIKHS is currently investigating an alleged bias crime that occurred in Queens (Richmond Hill), NY. The victim, 54 year old Rajinder Singh Khalsa, was walking to the Tandoori Express Restaurant with his cousin when a group of Caucasian males in their 20s began to harass and taunt the two Sikhs, using references to September 11th and aimed derogatory remarks towards their turbans, a required article of faith for a Sikh. 7/4/2004 -- French Sikhs seek Panthic support on turban issue As reported in the Tribune "The Franco-Sikh and United Sikh organisations, both associations of the French Sikhs, have welcomed the initiative taken by the Sikh Nation Organisation and its chairperson, Dr Manjit Singh Randhawa. In a message faxed to the Tribune office today from France, the Sikhs there stated that time and again they had to face the ire of the French Government against the use of turban." 7/2/2004 -- UN takes up the French Turban issue In a significant development, the United Nations has taken up the issue of banning turban by the Government of France, imposed on schoolchildren by enacting the school scarf ban law. The issue was reported to the United Nation by the Sikh Nation Organisation (SNO), led by Dr Manjit Singh Randhawa. 6/19/2004 -- CLRA Press Conference UNITED SIKHS, along with other civil rights, human rights and immigrant rights groups, firmly assert their support for the Civil Liberties Restoration Act on June 16th, 2004. Meeting in Newark at the press conference room of the New Jersey Immigration Policy Network, UNITED SIKHS shared its commitment to campaign against the erosion of civil liberties of immigrants and residents of the United States of America through provisions enacted by the Patriot Act and other restrictive policies adopted by the U.S. Government post 9/11. Organizations such as the ACLU, the NJ Immigration Policy Network, CAIR-NJ, American Islamic Association, American Friends Service Committee, Hispanic Directors Association of New Jersey and representatives of Senator John Corzine's office among others, shared their commitment to restoring the civil rights entitled to citizens and immigrants alike through acts such as the CLRA. 6/18/2004 -- UNITED SIKHS signs an opposition letter against The Anti-Terrorism Intelligence Signing an opposition letter to the introduction of HR 3179 into Congress extended UNITED SIKHS' campaign for restoration of civil liberties to immigrants. HR 3179, introduced by House Representatives Goss (R-FL) and Sensenbrenner (R-WI) seeks to increase the powers granted by the Patriot Act to government agencies and reducing the rights of immigrants and residents of the United States of America. A summary of the provisions of HR 3179 can be found below (provided by the Rights Working Group - http://www.rightsworkinggroup.org ). 6/7/2004 -- What is the CLRA? In an effort to restore many of the civil rights taken away from immigrant communities by the Patriot Act (signed into law in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist actions), UNITED SIKHS has endorsed the Civil Liberties Restoration Act (CLRA). The Patriot Act, allowed for many actions that are illegal according to the U.S. Constitution. The CLRA seeks the following amendments to the Patriot Act: 5/12/2004 -- US religious group slams France for headscarf ban WASHINGTON, May 12 (AFP) - A semi-official US religious freedom watchdog on Wednesday rebuked France and said it should "reassess" a controversial law banning certain religious garb in public schools, particularly Muslim headscarves. The rebuke featured in the annual report of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which advises the US government. 3/24/2004 -- Sikh Awareness Campaign in Uptown Charlotte Sangat of Charlotte, North Carolina held an awareness drive in Uptown Charlotte on March 19, 2004. There were about 11 volunteers in all, who met in the heart of Uptown Charlotte around Noon to catch the lunch-time office crowd. All volunteers were wearing UNITED SIKHS "Right to Turban" campaign t-shirts. 3/21/2004 -- Sikhs Join Hollywood Spiritual Festival Hollywood, California - UNITED SIKHS,the Khalsa Alliance and the Sikh Awareness Association of California State University will take part in an interfaith parade on “Spiritual Entertainment” at Hollywood, Los Angeles today. During the parade, the participating Sikh organizations will perform Keertan. 2/10/2004 -- French Lawmakers Overwhelmingly Back Veil Ban PARIS (Reuters) - An overwhelming majority of France's National Assembly voted Tuesday to ban religious emblems in state schools, a measure Paris wants to keep tensions between Muslim and Jewish minorities out of public classrooms. Deputies voted 494 to 36 to ban Muslim headscarves, Jewish skullcaps and large Christian crosses from state schools and threaten pupils who insisted on wearing them with expulsion. 2/09/2004 -- Sikh Mayor marches for human rights CONTROVERSY surrounding proposals by the French government to ban all conspicuous signs of religious affiliation in their schools has spread to Ealing. Ealing Mayor Cllr Gurcharan Singh took part in a demonstration in Paris last weekend and wrote to the French Embassy in London to express his concern about the issue. Responding to the false alarm incident at Lodi, NJ Responding to the false alarm incident at Lodi, NJ, UNITED SIKHS Assistant Bias Crime Director Manvinder Singh meets with state officials in Trenton, NJ. UNITED SIKHS declares vaisakh April 14th as Turban/Dastar day for the sikhs and launches a turban tying competition at Glenrock, NJ.