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LA Leaders Back Congressional Bill Condemning Rise In Anti-Asian Incidents
The Los Angeles City Council is backing a congressional bill condemning anti-Asian and Pacific Islander incidents that have grown in number since the COVID-19 outbreak.
The bill would also direct local authorities to take legal action against credible threats of hate crimes. Since the start of the pandemic, the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council has recorded 1,700 hate incidents in the United States.
Executive Director Manju Kulkarni told a forum convened in Los Angeles yesterday that 58% of those incidents happened in California and New York.
"Here in Los Angeles, what we're seeing mimics what's happening across the country. 74% of the incidents involve verbal harassment, 6% involves civil rights violations — these are workplace discrimination/refusal of service— 7% involve physical assault."
The panel was inspired in part by reporting done by our Asian American communities reporter Josie Huang. The Los Angeles City Council has sent its resolution to the mayor's desk for his signature.
READ JOSIE HUANG'S STORIES:
- Verbal Abuse, Assault, Shunning: Coronavirus 'Hate' Tracker Now Includes More Than 1,400 Reports of Anti-Asian Racism
- In OC, Coronavirus-Related Racism Toward Asians Leads To Calls For Action
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