Sikh man 'has turban ripped off in racist attack'outside Parliament while waiting to meet Labour MP

Police are investigating after a a Sikh man allegedly had his turban ripped from his head in a racist attack outside Parliament.

Ravneet Singh was waiting near Portcullis House on Wednesday afternoon when he was approached by a man who allegedly shouted "Muslim go back" before attempting to remove his head covering.

Mr Singh, 37, is a Sikh project manager for an environmental firm based in India. He was visiting Labour MP Tanmanjeet Dhesi as part of a three-week trip to the UK.

He told the Independent: "“He was pulling at my turban strongly. It half moved and I grabbed it. Before he could do anything else I shouted at him and he ran.

“He made a racist comment in another language that I didn’t recognise. He was a white man, but he didn’t sound English. He said something like ‘Muslim go back’.”

Mr Dhesi told the Standard: "I experienced a similar attack when at school but thought at the time that maybe that was due to the perpetrator 'being a kid' and not realising the importance of the turban to Sikh identity.

"I was distressed when I had to deal with such racist behaviour but coped thanks to family and friends.

"Unfortunately many children and adults have experienced this all too often."

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police confirmed officers were called to the scene at Portcullis House, which houses offices for MPs and their staff, at around 5.20pm.

They said no arrests had been made in connection with the assault but enquiries are ongoing.