| For Immediate Release: | Contact: |
| October 21, 2026: | [email protected] |
WASHINGTON—The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), South Asian Bar Association of Chicago (SABA Chicago), Chinese American Bar Association of Greater Chicago (CABA), and Filipino American Lawyers Association of Chicago (FALA Chicago) condemn the alleged plot to carry out a mass shooting at the largest Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois. Last week, law enforcement authorities arrested and charged a suspect who allegedly planned an attack targeting worshippers at the temple. According to law enforcement officials, the suspect allegedly possessed white supremacist materials and expressed hate towards individuals of South Asian and Indian descent along with Jewish and Black individuals.
We are deeply disturbed by this alleged act of hate and stand in solidarity with the Hindu, Indian American, and broader South Asian communities. We are grateful to the individuals who alerted law enforcement and to the authorities whose actions helped avert a potential tragedy.
Who we are, and how and where we choose to worship, are part of the tapestry of American life. A refuge for peace and prayer must never be transformed into a place of violence by perpetrators of hate. Hate—whether in the form of anti-South Asian hate or any other form of bigotry—has no place in our society. We remain committed to eradicating hate in all its forms, including by urging governments at every level to fully support and strengthen hate prevention efforts.