Powered By Blogger

Sunday, September 11, 2016

'Sword-Wielding Gang' Storm Sikh Temple In Leamington Spa

Armed police have surrounded a Sikh temple in Leamington Spa after a gang of men with swords reportedly stormed the building.

Up to 30 men are believed to have entered the Gurdwara Sahib on Tachbrook Drive in Warwick at 6.47am.

Armed officers are at the scene, and police negotiators and religious leaders are said to have gone into the building to try and end the stand-off.

It is thought the storming of the temple may have something to do with a mixed-race wedding, the Coventry Telegraph reported.

A wedding between a Sikh and a non-Sikh was due to take place at the venue on Sunday.

Some Sikhs have reportedly previously objected to mixed-race marriages being held at the site.

A police cordon has gone up around the temple and passers-by have been told to avoid the area until the matter is resolved.

Warwickshire Police said the matter was not being treated as a terrorist incident, but as "aggravated trespass".

"We believe that it is an escalation of an ongoing local dispute," the force said.

"We believe some of the men are in possession of bladed items and as such, armed officers have been deployed.

"Officers are inside the temple to negotiate a peaceful resolution."

The force later tweeted that a number of people had been arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass.

No comments:

Post a Comment