35 Asian Hate Crimes in New York This Year... 'Vaccine Daddy' Also Angry

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] Police statistics have confirmed a sharp increase in hate crimes against Asians in the United States. In contrast to Asians, hate crimes against other races have decreased.

The New York Times (NYT) reported on the 4th (local time) that hate crimes against Asians reported to the New York Police Department (NYPD) were only 3 cases in 2019 but increased to 28 cases last year. Especially this year, 35 cases have already been reported to the NYPD, surpassing the total number of reports from last year. Since hate crimes are generally underreported to the police, the actual number of occurrences is believed to be higher, according to NYT's analysis.

NYT also reported that based on its own tally analyzing media reports nationwide, more than 110 hate crimes targeting Asians have occurred from March last year to the present.

Victims of these crimes were often verbally abused with phrases like "Go back to China" or "You are the virus" and physically assaulted. Numerous racist graffiti targeting Asian-owned homes or businesses were also reported. Particularly in New York and Boston, hate crimes against races other than Asians have actually decreased.

NYT pointed out that former President Donald Trump’s labeling of COVID-19 as the “Chinese virus” spread resentment against Asians. Victor Cha, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) who was once nominated but failed to become the U.S. ambassador to South Korea during the Trump administration, also revealed that he became a victim of hate crimes, saying, "I have worked for the United States all my life, but I was verbally abused with 'Go back to your country.'"

Amid growing sorrow among Asian figures over the spread of hate crimes, the operator of the Twitter-based vaccination appointment information service “Turbovax,” used by most COVID-19 vaccine recipients in New York City, has taken action to eliminate hate crimes using his service.

Operated by Chinese-American Hughes Ma, Turbovax receives 4 million visitors daily. Ma expressed anger over the shooting incident targeting Asians that occurred last month in Atlanta, Georgia, stating, "I am Asian, and Turbovax is also Asian," urging users to become aware.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.