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On a bright August morning, 60-year-old Gurtej Singh Cheema completed his daily prayers in his Sacramento home before heading to the California State Capitol. The retired clinical professor of internal medicine joined more than 150 Sikh Americans who had converged from across the state. Their goal: to voice support for the California anti-intimidation bill, legislation they believe is crucial to community safety.

California is home to about 250,000 Sikh Americans — roughly 40 percent of the U.S. Sikh population — with roots in the state dating back over a century. But the climate for diaspora communities has shifted. A spate of attacks and threats against Sikh activists in North America, which U.S. and Canadian officials have linked to Indian government operations, has left many on edge. Supporters say law enforcement still lacks training to identify “transnational repression,” a term used by the FBI for foreign governments’ efforts to intimidate or harm diaspora members inside the United States.

Story Highlights

Bill Overview: The California anti-intimidation bill mandates officer training to recognize and respond to transnational repression.
Supporters: Sikh Coalition, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Jakara Movement, Hindus for Human Rights, Indian American Muslim Council, and the California Police Chiefs Association.
Opponents: Hindu American Foundation, Coalition of Hindus of North America, Bay Area Jewish Coalition, The Khalsa Today, and several county law-enforcement agencies.
Backdrop: Rising fears after alleged foreign-linked harassment, including high-profile cases in the U.S. and Canada.
Next Step: Bill returns to the California Senate for a final vote before heading to Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk.

A Bill Shaped by Community Pressure

“The bill closes a critical gap in our public safety system and gives law enforcement the training they need to identify foreign interference when it happens in our neighborhoods,” said Democratic state senator Anna Caballero, who authored the measure.

Caballero represents California’s 14th Senate District, which has a significant Sikh population. She co-authored the bill with Assemblywoman Jasmeet Bains, California’s first Sikh Assembly member, and Assemblywoman Esmeralda Soria.

The proposal would direct the state’s Office of Emergency Services to create specialized training for police officers to recognize and respond to transnational repression — from online trolling to in-person intimidation.

Community Lines Drawn

Several Sikh and multi-faith groups have endorsed the bill, including the Sikh Coalition, Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Jakara Movement, Hindus for Human Rights, and the Indian American Muslim Council. The California Police Chiefs Association also supports the measure.

But opposition is vocal. The Hindu American Foundation, the Coalition of Hindus of North America, the Bay Area Jewish Coalition, and even a Sikh organization, The Khalsa Today, have raised alarms. The Santa Clara Attorney’s Office and Riverside County Sheriff’s Office also object.

Critics argue the measure could unintentionally target Hindu Americans opposed to the Khalistan movement, a campaign to carve out a separate Sikh nation from India, and could institutionalize bias against Indian Americans.

‘Any Efforts That Help a Community Feel Safe’

Cheema, representing the Capital Sikh Center in Sacramento, said he came to testify because the stakes felt personal.

“Any efforts that help a community feel safe, and you are part of that community — naturally, you would support it,” he told reporters outside the hearing room.

Many attendees had driven overnight from Los Angeles, 385 miles away, or taken time off work to appear before the Assembly Appropriations Committee. Their presence underscored the urgency supporters feel around the California anti-intimidation bill.

Rising Fears of Foreign Interference

The FBI defines transnational repression as when foreign governments “intimidate, silence, coerce, harass or harm” members of diaspora and exile communities inside the United States.

The backdrop to the bill is striking. In 2023, Canada accused India of masterminding the assassination of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia, a charge New Delhi denies. Later that year, U.S. prosecutors said Indian operatives plotted to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a New York-based Sikh activist, in a scheme foiled by an FBI informant.

Several other Sikh activists have since received warnings from law enforcement about potential threats. Even Bains, the bill’s co-author, was reportedly threatened in August 2023 after California recognized the 1984 anti-Sikh violence in India as genocide.

Concerns Over Bias

Opponents such as Samir Kalra, managing director of the Hindu American Foundation, say the bill lacks adequate safeguards.

“I believe that they have not gone far enough in providing guardrails to ensure that law enforcement does not institutionalize biases against groups from specific countries of origin or with certain viewpoints on geopolitical issues,” Kalra said in an interview.

He noted that Hindu temples have been vandalized with pro-Khalistan slogans. “How can the Hindu American community feel safe reporting these incidents without fear of being accused of being a foreign agent or having law enforcement downplaying the vandalisms?” he asked.

Supporters counter that the training will be crafted by professionals, not activists, and will apply broadly to all foreign interference.

“The coalition of groups supporting includes both Sikh and Hindu organizations as well as Muslim, Kashmiri, Iranian, South Asian, immigrants’ rights, human rights, and law enforcement organizations,” said Harman Singh, executive director of the Sikh Coalition.

Scholars Weigh In

“Critics of other governments are all too routinely harassed, threatened, or even assaulted by foreign governments or their proxies within the U.S.,” said Rohit Chopra, professor of communication at Santa Clara University. “Even if the bill has some deterrent effect, which I believe it will, it will be well worth it.”

Stanford anthropology professor Thomas Blom Hansen said the legislation addresses real concerns about online surveillance and harassment but does not target any one country. “When an organization comes out strongly against such a bill, it almost feels like a preemptive admission — as if they see themselves as being implicated by what the bill seeks to prevent,” Hansen observed.

Looking Ahead

The California anti-intimidation bill has already cleared the Assembly and now returns to the Senate for a final vote. If passed, it will head to Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk.

Back in Sacramento, Cheema says the legislation represents more than policy.

“I could be the next victim if the law enforcement in my community is not able to recognize foreign interference,” he said. “It doesn’t matter who is indulging in it or which country, I would naturally like my police officers to be aware of the threats.”

He added: “If any group feels threatened, then all sections of society should make efforts to protect their people. This reassures me that my voice is being heard.”

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Irish singer-songwriter Hozier took to the stage on the final night of Outside Lands 2025, delivering a deeply moving performance that honored the festival’s rock heritage while also delivering a powerful call for peace and justice. His set stood out amid a weekend largely dominated by rap, pop, and electronic music, reminding fans of the festival’s earlier days when guitar-driven acts were the main attraction.

Story Highlights:

Hozier closes Outside Lands 2025 with a nearly two-hour performance blending rock, soul, blues, and activism.
Delivers a passionate call for peace, including a free Palestine, and support for LGBTQ+ and immigrant rights.
Performs a wide range of songs, from early hits to new chart-toppers and deep cuts.
Ends with a memorable encore and fireworks during “Take Me to Church.”
Other artists at the festival also used their platforms to make political statements.
Hozier’s closing performance was marked by sincerity and a strong connection with the San Francisco audience.

Dressed casually in a brown suede jacket paired with loose slacks and with his long hair tied back, Hozier approached the stage on Sunday, August 10, with a quiet intensity that immediately captured the audience’s attention. From the outset, there was a strong sense of gratitude in his demeanor as he acknowledged the setting and the crowd.

“It’s such a gift to be back doing Outside Lands,” he said early on. Reflecting on his previous visit to San Francisco, he added, “I was here a few years back now, down the other side of the hill, and I was taken by the fog rolling in — it’s such a beautiful sight. It’s a beautiful city you have here.”

Hozier’s set was an expansive journey through his musical catalog. He opened with the haunting two-part composition “De Selby,” a track that set a contemplative tone. The mood soon shifted as he launched into more upbeat, high-energy songs such as “Jackie and Wilson” and “Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene,” which had the audience fully engaged.

Throughout the nearly two-hour set, Hozier blended rock, soul, and blues, showcasing his versatility. Newer hits like 2024’s “Too Sweet” sparked enthusiastic sing-alongs, while deeper album cuts such as “I, Carrion (Icarian)” and “Would That I” highlighted his ability to move seamlessly between gritty blues and gospel-infused grace.

At a pivotal moment in his performance, Hozier took the opportunity to speak to the crowd beyond music. Introducing his 2018 protest anthem “Nina Cried Power,” he urged the audience to take action on pressing global issues.

“As we’ve been traveling over the last nearly two years,” he said, “I’ve been inviting people, encouraging people, asking people to use their empathy, their human compassion, their honesty to use their right to vote to support peace and safety and security for everybody in the Middle East.”

He went on to specify his hope for “seeing a Palestine that’s free from occupation,” making it clear that his message extended beyond the stage. Hozier also voiced support for LGBTQ+ and immigrant rights, drawing a parallel to the struggles of the Irish Troubles as he prepared to perform a duet with American singer Amanda Brown.

Midway through the show, Hozier checked in with the crowd, asking, “You still with us?” The question was met with cheers and applause, encouraging him to continue with the tender ballad “Like Real People Do.” Later, before launching into “From Eden,” he smiled and said, “You put a smile on my face. Thank you, Outside Lands.”

As the night wore on, Hozier surprised fans with an intimate encore on a smaller B-stage, performing “Cherry Wine” and “Unknown/Nth” in a quiet, reflective setting. He then returned to the main stage to close with the defiant “Nina Cried Power” followed by the stirring “Work Song.”

The climax of the evening came with a soaring rendition of his breakthrough 2014 hit, “Take Me to Church,” accompanied by a dramatic fireworks display that lit up the San Francisco night sky.

Hozier was not alone in using the festival platform to voice political views. Earlier in the weekend, rapper Doechii and indie rocker Bakar publicly expressed support for Palestine. Meanwhile, singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams took a more subtle approach, making a pointed comment about the Trump administration during her set.

Although the crowd had thinned somewhat by Sunday night, Hozier’s sincere delivery and magnetic stage presence transformed the festival’s closing moments into a reverent and memorable experience. It was a final act that blended melody, meaning, and a genuine love for live music.

“I want to thank you, San Francisco,” Hozier said as he wrapped up his set, “for the kindness and compassion you have shown me in this city.”

Hozier’s performance at Outside Lands 2025 was more than just a concert—it was a heartfelt statement blending artistry with activism. In a weekend filled with diverse musical styles and voices, his return to the stage reminded audiences of the power of music to inspire reflection and change. By weaving together soulful melodies and urgent calls for justice, Hozier closed the festival not only with unforgettable songs but also with a message that resonated far beyond the music. His deep connection with the San Francisco crowd underscored the enduring importance of live music as a space for both celebration and meaningful dialogue.