Following a string of attacks targeting members of the Asian American community across the country, a crowd of dozens or so gathered at the Los Angeles State Historic Park near Chinatown on Saturday afternoon to raise awareness about the increase in hate crimes against Asians in the United States.
Activists with the group called Stand for Asian Solidarity, which organized Saturday’s rally in L.A.’s Chinatown, say anti-Asian sentiments have surged in some corners over the last year, with Asians being blamed for the spread of coronavirus.
The group cited a report by Stop AAPI Hate, a reporting center launched last March, that has documented over 3,000 self-reported anti-Asian crimes and incidents since the start of the pandemic.
Stop AAPI Hate was established by the Asian Pacific Planning and Policy Council, Chinese for Affirmative Action and the Asian American Studies Department of San Francisco State University in response to a rise in xenophobia and bigotry related to the coronavirus, according to the group’s website.
Chris Wolfe reports for the KTLA 5 News from Los Angeles’ Chinatown on Feb. 20, 2021.