A new study has found that hate crimes towards Asian Americans in 2021 surged 339%.
Compiled by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, the data revealed that anti-Asian hate crimes rose 339% in 2021 compared to the year before.
Hate crimes towards Asians had already increased 124% from 2020 to 2021. Major US cities including New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco saw hate crime numbers increase from 2021.
Anti-Asian hate crimes in New York City rose from 30 to 133 – a 343% increase. San Francisco’s anti-Asian hate crime numbers jumped from 9 to 60 – a 567% increase. Hate crimes against Asians rose 173% in LA.
In general, reported hate crimes rose 11%. LA recorded the most hate crimes of any U.S. city this century in 2021 alone, with New York coming close second.
John C. Yang, the president and executive director of the nonprofit civil rights group Asian Americans Advancing Justice — AAJC said that solidarity is the key to overcoming these crimes.
“We must bring attention to the hate that impacts all communities,” Yang said. “The support of our allies representing diverse communities of color and diverse faith communities has meant a great deal as our Asian American communities have been under attack. All of our diverse communities, including LGBTQ+ communities, have experienced hate, and there is a profound but tragic solidarity in that.”
“Reports of increased anti-Asian hate in 2021 are, sadly, not a surprise,” said Yang. “Again, our communities are still under attack, and we must continue our efforts to address anti-Asian hate.”
Stop AAPI Hate recorded 10,370 reports of hate incidents from March 2020 to September 2021.
