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Crowds Gather In Little Tokyo To Denounce Anti-Asian Violence
Former LA County CEO Bill Fujioka was among the speakers at a March 3, 2021 rally in Little Tokyo to denounce incidents of anti-Asian violence. (Josie Huang/LAist)
Amid a continuing wave of attacks against Asian Americans during the course of the pandemic, hundreds of people gathered in Little Tokyo on Saturday to denounce the violence and show support for Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
The rally, called "Love Our Communities: Build Collective Power," was billed as a healing space to "meet, collaborate, and build with grassroots organizations doing direct work in Los Angeles Asian American communities." It was held outside the Japanese American National Museum. (See the livestream here.)
I’m in Little Tokyo where a rally against anti-Asian hate has started. It’s being hosted at the Japanese American National Museum. This courtyard is where Japanese Angelenos during WWII were rounded up before being put on buses for camps. pic.twitter.com/Ad0wWwSg0y
— Josie Huang (@josie_huang) March 14, 2021
The event featured speakers from throughout Asian American Pacific Islander communities. Among them was former L.A. County Chief Executive Officer Bill Fujioka, who said strangers have approached him during the pandemic to say he and others like him brought the coronavirus into the country. He called on elected leaders "to take aggressive action to protect our communities."
"Ignoring it, denying its existence, or refusing to speak up is almost as bad as participating in this disgusting behavior,” he told the crowd.
RELATED:
- 'This Craziness Is Real': In The San Gabriel Valley, Anti-Asian Violence Creates Fears Of Targeting
- 'Urgent Action Is Needed': Advocates Fight Anti-Asian Violence As Hate Crimes Impact Community
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