Vandals attack war memorial featuring a statue of a Sikh soldier daubing it with slogans less than a week after it was unveiled
- First World War memorial in Smethwick near Birmingham was vandalised
- The 10ft bronze statue marked the sacrifice of all soldiers from India
- It was found sprayed on Thursday night with the words ‘sepoys no more’
- This refers to Indian soldiers who served in British or other European armies
A new First World War memorial featuring the statue of a Sikh soldier was vandalised less than a week after it was unveiled.
The 10ft bronze statue, commissioned by a Sikh temple in Smethwick, near Birmingham, marked the sacrifice of soldiers of all faiths from the Indian subcontinent.
It was found sprayed on Thursday night with the words ‘sepoys no more’, referring to the Indian soldiers who served in British or other European armies.
Vandalism: A new First World War memorial featuring the statue of a Sikh soldier was vandalised less than a week after it was unveiled
West Midlands Police photo of CCTV footage of two people at the scene where graffiti was sprayed
Officers are treating the vandalism to the wall surrounding the Lions of the Great War statue in Smethwick, West Midlands, as a racially aggravated offence
The words ‘of the great war’ from the statue’s title were covered with a black line, while what appeared say ‘1 jarnoil’ had been graffitied on to the memorial.
This may be a reference to Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, an Indian militant considered by some to be a terrorist who wanted to create a Sikh state.
Equally, Jarnail could be the name of the vandal.
In a statement the Guru Nanak Gurdwara, which funded the statue, condemned ‘this despicable and cowardly act’.
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It read: ‘We won’t allow this vandalism to undermine the very strong message created by this new monument and the overwhelmingly positive reaction to its unveiling.
‘What makes this incident particularly distressing, is the complete disregard and lack of respect for the significance of the statue and inscriptions.
The words ‘of the great war’ from the statue’s title were covered with a black line
‘It was installed to commemorate the losses felt by many South Asian families, who lost their dear ones during the First World War, and mark 100 years since the end of the Great War.’
The 10ft high statue stands on a 6ft plinth with inscriptions on all four sides recognising the centennial anniversary of the end of the Great War and the role of Sikhs in the British Army.
West Midlands police said they were treating the incident as aggravated criminal damage.
The force said CCTV was being recovered and officers were working with worshippers and management at the temple.
Sgt Bill Gill from the Smethwick neighbourhood policing team said: ‘We understand that this attack has caused a lot of concern in the community, and we are working to understand the reasons behind it and identify whoever is responsible.
‘Officers had already planned to be at the remembrance event on Sunday.’
Sikh Federation UK said they ‘condemn the senseless and cowardly act of vandalism to deface the newly erected WW1 monument’.
Local MP Preet Kaur Gill said the act was ‘devastating and disrespectful’.
Anyone with any information is urged to contact West Midlands police or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
The memorial was found sprayed with the words ‘sepoys no more’, referring to the Indian soldiers who served in British or other European armies
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