There has been an alarming wave of attacks against Asian Americans, including many right here in the Bay Area, since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Experts believe the violence is fueled by anti-Asian rhetoric from politicians who blame China for spreading COVID-19 to the United States.
Now, some California politicians are taking steps to address it, including passing a bill that will help pay for increased tracking and reporting of hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
"I think it’s a combination of things," said Angela Chan, Policy Director and Senior Staff Attorney at Asian Americans Advancing Justice: Asian Law Caucus in San Francisco. "The racist, really openly xenophobic rhetoric coming from the then-Trump administration really has fueled hate and discrimination."
The rash of recent violence in Oakland against elderly Asian Americans resulted in one arrest and cries for peace from within the community. Those attacks, along with other high-profile incidents on the East Coast, have caught national headlines.
In one incident earlier this month, an Asian store owner was arrested by Oakland Police after he fired his gun in an effort to stop a robbery. Some Oakland Chinatown merchants have turned to armed guards to patrol the area.
There were an estimated 3,000 incidents of violence targeted against Asian Americans in the U.S. last year, Chan told KCBS Radio’s "The State of California."
"I think it’s very important to track what’s happening and…give resources to the Asian American community and also to all communities of color to address incidents of violence and to really build the community infrastructure to provide support to the victims of violence," she added.
Chan is encouraged by a change in tone ushered in with the Biden administration, however, said "follow through in terms of actions" is just as important.
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