As the Coronavirus pandemic has wracked the globe for the last year, anti-Asian violence has increased exponentially. After the virus was initially detected in Wuhan China, and almost immediately after, former President Trump began spreading anti-Asian rhetoric, calling the Coronavirus things like the ¨China Virus¨ and ¨Kung Flu.¨ These harmful words led to a quick spread of racist violence across the country. This January, there were more than 20 assaults on Asian people in just two weeks. A large Asian community in one of the oldest and most vibrant Chinatowns in America faced fear during this Chinese New Year. As San Francisco has been wracked with anti-Asian violence, different community members have been trying to prevent violence. On Chinese New Year, rather than celebration and hope, whistles, and pamphlets on how to report a hate crime were handed out to community members. A recent study found that from 2019 to 2021, there has been a 150% spike in hate crimes in America, especially in major cities. In 2020, there were 122 incidents of violent attacks against Asian people. Many people attribute this exponential rise to the words of former President Trump and blame his words for the violent attacks. The numbers demonstrate that in regards to anti-Asian attacks, 2020 was the worst year for anti-Asian violence recorded. The prosecution of these attacks has brought out extensive anger and frustration with the judicial system, as many of the hate crimes were categorized as anywhere from assault to attempted murder rather than hate crimes. Because these crimes are not considered hate crimes, the felons will receive less time in prison.
Chinatown, San Fransisco