Sikhs protest in London against "intimidation, disrespect" during airports' turban searches

LONDON: Sikhs have been protesting at London Parliament Square against "intimidation and disrespect" of their turbans being searched at European airports. The protest was organized by a cable TV station based in Birmingham and London, the Sikh Channel, and similar protests were held in Brussels, Rome and Madrid, The Independent reports. The turban, known as a Dastar, is regarded as a symbol of Sikh identity. A Sikh Channel employee, Amar Deep Singh, travelled from Derby to participate in the protest. "We are used to the Government being tolerant, Britain has been very tolerant. But after 9/11 we are being mistaken as other communities who wear turbans. We're being told to take them off, almost as if it's as easy as a mobile phone. But we are not supposed to, it's a religious symbol," he said.