A man, who broke into the Sikh Temple of Spokane late on the night March 2 and vandalized the shrine, apparently under the mistaken notion that it was a mosque connected to ISIS has been arrested and charged armed burglary, malicious mischief and ‘malicious harassment based on religious discrimination’ which is tantamount to a hate crime.
News reports said that Jeffrey C. Pittman, 44, ripped from the temple’s holy book, The Guru Granth Sahib, apparently believing that it was a copy of the Koran. According to TV station KHQ, Pittman who was arrested the very next day, entered the temple through an unlocked door looking for something to eat, and then came under the mistaken conclusion that the temple was a mosque connected to ISIS.
The report quoted officials as saying that when Pittman was arrested early March 3 morning, he was wearing nothing but a sheet taken from the temple’s furnishings and a holding a ceremonial sword. According to new court documents, KHQ said, he told detectives that after walking into the temple he smelled something burning and then took off his clothes and soaked them in water “to prevent them from burning.” He used two fire extinguishers throughout the temple.
Pittman told detectives he “became delusional” upon seeing the swords and other religious symbols. He also admitted to using meth three days before and drinking that night.
In a statement the Sikh Coalition said that in the wake of the San Bernardino attacks and the increased charged presidential political rhetoric aimed at minority communities across America, the Sikh-American community has seen a sizable uptick in cases of hate crimes and backlash over the past four months.
Meanwhile, the Spokane Interfaith Council has established a GoFundMe account to raise $20,000 to repair the damage at the temple.
A member of the temple told reporters, according to The Spokesman-Review of Spokane, Washington, that while they were hurt by the vandalism, they felt sympathy towards the man and offered Pittman chai tea after his arrest.
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