August 17, 2020
The NYPD Hate Crime Task Force is joining the investigation of two unidentified men who set an 89-year-old Asian grandmother on fire last month, reports AsAmNews.
Although the Hate Crime Task Force has joined the investigation, the NYPD has yet labeled the attack a hate-crime, ABC7’s Cefaan Kim told AsAmNews.
Hundreds of people gathered for the Asian Unity March in Washington Square Park in Manhattan on Saturday, August 15. The rally was organized by rapper China Mac and actor William Lex Ham. This latest rally was directly responsible for the NYPD finally appointing their Hate Crime Task Force on the case.
Around 2 pm, dozens of organizers showed up to help set up voter registration booths as well as passing out voter registration pamphlets in various Asian languages to park-goers. Other volunteers help set up speakers and others served as protest marshalls.
Saturday’s rally kicked off with a series of passionate speeches. Actor William Ham reminded protesters, “Asians are the fastest-growing group in America but the least likely to vote and are the least engaged. We must register to vote and fill out the census.”
Ham continued, “Although Asian-American communities are incredibly diverse, the way we are treated in our country is generally the same. How many non-Chinese are called ‘ch*nk?’ How many non-Koreans are called ‘go*k?’ We will get nothing unless we unite and fight together. This is the rising of our collective Asian-American voice.”
The protesters then marched towards Manhattan Chinatown while Ham and China Mac led with chants “De Blasio f*ck you!” “All for one, one for all,” “When grandmas get attacked, we stand up, we fight,” “When Asians get attacked, we stand up, we fight back!”
Once the protesters reached Chinatown, the crowd gathered around 46 Mott Bakery. This was planned after an August 11 viral video showing Mayor de Blasio turning his back on the 46 Mott Bakery owner, Patrick Mock, after pleading for help.
“Show me what community looks like!” chant filled the streets of Chinatown by 46 Mott Bakery with a unified response from the crowd, “This is what community looks like!”
The peaceful protest concluded at the 7th Precinct. China Mac addressed and emphasized both to demonstrators and police that he didn’t want to disrespect individual officers but only wanted the NYPD to take hate-crimes against Asian-Americans seriously, as they do with other groups.
Feature Image via AsAmNews