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Roseville Sikh Temple Speaker Draws Protest, Large Police Presence

ROSEVILLE (CBS13) — Protests outside of a Sikh temple in Roseville over a controversial speaker drew a large police presence on Thursday.

There was a lot of commotion and allegations of assault at the temple, all over a speaker from India who many say is divisive in his teachings.

Police were standing behind a fence to keep people from coming in, but it's what happened inside that made people outside even more fired up.

Dozens in the Sikh community came together to protest a speaker who they say spreads false teachings about their religion and divides the community. He's sparked outrage in the Sikh community throughout the country, including another similar incident just one night earlier in Fairfield.

Some against his talks tried to go inside to listen, but were rejected. Others who managed to get in say things turned violent.

A 13-year-old says he was assaulted while holding a sign that read, "You're a liar."

"A guy that's one of his supporters came and he socked me in the face and then punched me again and dragged me by the neck and threw me back and I got up and ran outside," said Amrit Paal Singh.

Roseville Police stood in a line behind the closed gates keeping the two groups apart.

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