Attacks against Asian American and Pacific Islanders spike in US during pandemic
The number of stories of harassment and attacks against Asian American and Pacific Islanders are increasing in America since the start of the pandemic last year.
Thousands of bias- or hate-motivated cases triggered by false rhetoric that blamed the pandemic on the AAPI community have been reported recently.
Experts claim that the reason that such incidents are largely protected speech, law enforcement can’t take action until there are threats involved. Since, these cases don’t typically come under the cases of discrimination or harassment barred under civil rights laws, there’s not much recourse in civil court either.
The news has been filled by videos of violent and sometimes brutal attacks, not much attention is being given to the vast gray area of verbal assaults that are neither criminal nor civil rights violations.
Ross Chun, a city councilman in Aliso Viejo told USA Today, “I realize that in some instances, punishment is necessary. But in an era where people are hypersensitive about freedom of speech, it’s important to find a solution, a teaching moment, where people can participate and benefit.”
