The San Gabriel Valley community is holding a “Stop Asian Hate” candlelight vigil Saturday evening in Alhambra, four days after six women of Asian descent were among the eight people killed in attacks on three Atlanta-area massage businesses.
The vigil was set to begin at 6:30 p.m. at Almansor Park, 800 South Almansor Street, and will last until 10:30 p.m.
“We will not be silent against the gun violence,” Betty Hang, the event’s organizer, wrote on Facebook. “We want to remember the importance of uniting — for love, understanding and compassion of our community.”
Since the coronavirus pandemic started a year ago, thousands of Asian Americans have faced racist verbal and physical attacks or have been shunned by others, according to a study released Tuesday.
The report by Stop AAPI Hate found near 3,800 racially motivated attacks against Asian Americans from March to February last year, noting that the number is likely higher since many incidents aren’t reported.
In Los Angeles, hate crimes against Asians and Pacific Islanders surged in 2020, mirroring a national trend and causing concern among police and local advocacy organizations.
Multiple organizations have since been pushing to increase the public’s awareness to stop the trend. They’re also urging local police to beef up their training for responding to and tracking such incidents.
