Hundreds Gather Across NYC To Take Stand Against Hate Crimes Targeting Asian Communities
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Hundreds gathered Sunday to take a stand against hate crimes targeting Asian communities.
There's mounting fear as the number of violent incidents increases.
"We're not COVID. We're not the China virus. We are Americans. We are proud Asian Americans," Sen. John C. Liu said.
Hundreds of people from all backgrounds gathered at the steps of the executive and legislative building in Nassau County, calling for an end to the violence and bias against Asian communities across the country.
"We cannot have the ugly and painful history repeat itself again," one speaker said.
According to the NYPD, there were three anti-Asian hate crimes in New York City in 2019. That jumped to 29 in 2020 and seven already this year.
Mayor Bill de Blasio was asked about the city's response on Face The Nation.
"We have a task force made up of Asian-American police officers out in communities finding the people that did it, making sure there's consequences," he said.
The statistics barely begin to tell the story as residents say most incidents go unreported and growing fear has people changing how they're going about their everyday lives.
"I feel very unsafe these days," Bayridge resident Melanie Liu said.
CBS2's Aundrea Cline-Thomas met Liu at another rally Sunday in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.
"Even now, I hear in the daylight, in the afternoon, people are getting robbed or attacked," Liu said.
From offensive jokes to bias to violence, residents say enough is enough and urge others to show their support by speaking up.
