SFPD step up targeted patrols in wake of violence on AAPI community
SFPD step up targeted patrols in wake of violence on AAPI community
In the wake of the Atlanta-area mass shooting, which claimed the lives of six women of Asian descent, San Francisco police are stepping up patrols in Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities as well as businesses and gathering spots.
SAN FRANCISCO - In the wake of the Atlanta-area mass shooting, which claimed the lives of six women of Asian descent, San Francisco police are stepping up patrols in Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities as well as businesses and gathering spots.
Another day, another attempt in an endless chain of violence, to bring civility and humanity into our speech and actions.
SFPD will step up patrols in Chinatown, the Richmond District, the Sunset District, Visitacion Valley and San Bruno Avenue north of Visitacion Valley.
"We increased our patrol significantly as far as visibility and strategically; how we strategically place our officers," said Capt. Julian Ng of SFPD's Central Station. Another part of their effort is to work with local community groups to have more eyes and minds out there.
"It's a partnership I'm very grateful for and a partnership we both use to ensure that the public is safe," said Ng. "I certainly welcome that announcement. I welcome the addition of resources, but I would urge SFPD to make sure that these police officers who are coming into our communities are really working to be a part of the community," said Malcomb Yeung of the Chinatown Community Development Center.
Expressing confidence that the SFPD will come through, Yeung said the job is enormous in these AAPI communities. They are experiencing vastly increased race hate and violence which allows federal law enforcement to be involved.
"It's incredibly disheartening to see these incidents happening. It's incredibly disheartening that a lot of these attacks are targeting seniors," said Mr. Yeung.
Across the nation, since the pandemic began, complaints of anti-Asian hate related to the pandemic, violence and discrimination came in at more than 300 a month; almost half in California.
More: CA Assembly member David Chiu on racism against AAPI community
CA Assembly member David Chiu on combatting racism and violence against AAPI community
California Assembly member David Chiu speaks on ways of combating violence against the Asian American Pacific Islander community in the wake of an Atlanta-area mass shooting where a white-male gunman killed six women of Asian descent. He touches on the historic roots of anti-AAPI racism on the West Coast and how it has evolved up through the pandemic.
Hate speech, the most common form of racial hatred encourages much worse.
"It's clear hate speech opens up doors to physical assaults and hate crimes," said Russell Jeung, SFSU Professor of Asian American Studies.
This type of violence has been a serious challenge for Mayor London Breed, expressed by her on the day she assumed office in 2017 and long before.
"Sadly I grew up in a neighborhood where gun violence was a normal thing," Breed said at a news conference. The truth is, it is an age old battle against racial and social ignorance.
"Historically, anti-Asian violence has been a driving theme in American history and particularly, in American western history," said Yeung.
Last month, The state legislature approved $1.4 million in funding, to study hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The city's efforts concentrate on acting on what we already know.