CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Tuesday’s deadly shootings in Atlanta, Georgia have police boosting patrols in Chicago’s predominantly Asian American neighborhoods, and some local advocates looking for simple ways to stop hatred.
“No one should feel unsafe in their own city,” Chicago police spokesman Tom Ahern said Wednesday. “As we stand alongside Chicago’s Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, we are monitoring the events in the Atlanta area and are taking the appropriate precautions to keep our residents safe.
“Our district commanders are working with local community leaders, advocates and business owners throughout Chicago’s AAPI community to reinforce our commitment to protecting the lives, rights, and property of all people in Chicago. This will include an increase in presence and patrols throughout Chicago neighborhoods with significant AAPI populations."
Fears of hate crimes against the Asian American community were raised after a white gunman allegedly killed eight people, most of them of Asian descent, at three Atlanta-area massage parlors.
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Craig Maki, CEO of Asian Human Services Chicago, said despite an uptick in recent years, racist attacks aimed at Asian Americans are nothing new.
“It is another instance of what happens when folks who look different, talk different or come from different parts of the world are called things,” he told WBBM Newsradio. “Hurtful rhetoric that goes unchecked is dangerous.
“It just might not have been on people’s radar until something horrific happens, unfortunately.”
The non-profit works with immigrant and refuge children and families from mostly Asian countries, many of whom are no stranger to hate. Maki said changing the narrative isn’t as complicated as some make it out to be.
“If it doesn’t feel right or it doesn’t look right, say something about it,” he said. “Engage people in a dialogue that isn’t judgmental, but to have a conversation about why they believe the way they do.”
President Biden said threats to the Asian American community continue to be a concern for his administration.
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