Months after anti-immigration protests in Australia, attacks targeting members of the Indian community are continuing. In a recent incident in Geelong, near Melbourne, a 22-year-old Sikh nurse was allegedly assaulted in what is being described as a racial attack. The incident took place on the night of February 17 at a gym in the suburb of Corio.
The victim, Harmanpreet Singh, said he was training at the gym around 11 pm when three men approached him and began verbally abusing him. He said he had no indication that the situation would escalate. When he later stepped outside, he saw the same three men waiting for him.
What The Victim Alleged
Harmanpreet said the men called him a “dog” and told him to “go back to where you came from.” Shortly afterwards, one of the men allegedly headbutted him, striking his nose and causing heavy bleeding. Speaking to Australian media outlet 9News, he said the attacker came very close to his face before suddenly pulling back and smashing his head into his nose. The three men then fled the scene.
Local residents helped take the injured nurse to the hospital. While speaking to the media, Harmanpreet said he remains shaken by the assault and the racial abuse. “No one wants to hear that, especially when you are just minding your own business,” he said.
Family In Shock
According to reports, this was not the first time Harmanpreet had experienced racial abuse in Australia. However, he said the latest incident has had a deep psychological impact on him. His sister, Khushi Kaur, said the entire family is devastated and struggling to process what happened.
Harmanpreet said he tries to stay strong and ignore such remarks, but admitted the attack has left him hurt and uncertain. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to go back to that gym. I won’t feel safe after this,” he said.
