Sikh Student Acquitted of Charges for Wearing Kirpan

December 5, 2005

Source: India Abroad

http://www.rediff.com/news/2005/dec/05sikh.htm

On December 5, 2005 India Abroad reported, "A 23-year-old Wayne State University student, who was arrested for carrying a kirpan, or a small knife on the university campus under the Detroit Knife Act has been acquitted of all charges thanks to United Sikhs and the American Civil Liberties Union. Sukhpreet Singh was arrested August 24, 2005, after two police officers asked him to either remove his kirpan or face arrest. Singh explained to the officers that the kirpan was a mandatory article of his Sikh faith and that he could not remove it. The Detroit City Police officers arrested and pressed charges for violating the Knife Ordinance Code. Singh was released on bond, without his kirpan. According to Harpreet Singh, legal director of United Sikhs, who announced the acquittal of Singh on Sunday, Mike Gibbs, attorney retained by the non-profit organisation, and ACLU had submitted to the court and the prosecutor that the Detroit Knife Ordinance is unconstitutional in its application to the kirpan."