Norwich ― A group of local religious leaders issued a statement denouncing “hate messaging” displayed on the sides of a box truck seen several times in Norwich in mid-November.

Photos of the truck taken by local business owners who saw it in downtown Norwich and Greeneville showed a small box truck with a full side panel specifically addressed to Norwich Mayor Peter Nystrom, a supporter of the growing Norwich Sikh community. Nystrom has participated in local Sikh events, including commemorations marking the anniversary of the 1984 massacre of Sikhs at a holy temple, called Gurudwara, and events when Sikhs advocated for an autonomous Khalistan region in norther India.

The truck’s message attempted to connect Pakistan to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States and called the Sikh autonomy effort “Pakistan sponsored Khalistan terrorists.” The truck displayed a large photo of a man in a turban carrying an assault weapon with a large ammunition magazine.

The Norwich Area Interfaith Association, formerly the Norwich Area Clergy Association, met Thursday at the Norwich Sikh Art Gallery to discuss the truck messages. The group issued a statement Friday denouncing the “hate messaging.”

The truck was seen in downtown Norwich outside the Royal Punjabi restaurant, Sikh-owned business, on Central Avenue near the Ravi gas station, owned by a Pakistani immigrant, and in the Shop Rite plaza on West Main Street.

“Hate has no home in our City of Norwich,” the interfaith association news release stated, “and all the representatives stood in solidarity with this message.”

The association includes leaders of Christian, Muslim, Sikh, Unitarian Universalist and Bahá’i faiths.

“No one should feel left out in Norwich as we are a welcoming city,” the statement said, “and we will remain one. When we stand in unity, we stand for justice and equity.”

Norwich Alderman Swaranjit Singh Khalsa, the first Sikh City Council member in Connecticut and founder and art director for the Sikh Art Gallery, said he reported the truck incident to Norwich police and to the FBI office in New Haven. Norwich police Chief Patrick Daley said police are monitoring the situation and have discussed the incident with FBI officials.

Mayor Nystrom called the messages a failed intimidation attempt. He pledged to continue to support local commemorations of historic events, such as the 1984 attack, referred to as Sikh genocide.

“None of it made any sense,” he said of the truck’s message. “It doesn’t change the reality. As a mayor, I stand by our citizens who live in Norwich. … I think they wasted their money, and I hope they did.”

c.bessette@theday.com