1,000+ March In Koreatown To 'Stop Asian Hate'

KOREATOWN, CA — A surge in crimes targeting Asian Americans prompted some 1,000 demonstrators to hit the streets of Koreatown on Saturday, where Angelenos and public officials together called for an end to the violence.

A youth troupe of drummers led hundreds of marchers from Olympic Boulevard to Berendo Street at 11 a.m. Demonstrators wielded signs that read "Stop Killing Asians," "Keep My Grandma Safe!" "Enough is Enough" and "Hate is a Virus."

The rally concluded at Normandie Avenue, where crowds, mostly masked, gathered to hold a "free speech rally."

Similar events to support AAPI communities unfolded all over the Golden State Saturday. The groundswell of activism follows an uptick in discrimination against Asians during the coronavirus pandemic and the Atlanta killings that shook the nation earlier this month.

Saturday's march and rally were organized by the Korean American Federation of Los Angeles in partnership with 20 community-based organizations.

"Many Asian Americans have felt invisible for many years," Steve Kang, vice president of the federation, told Patch on Saturday. "Our issues are never front and center."

He said more than 1,000 came to march in solidarity with Asian American and Pacific Islander communities Saturday.

Kang — who was the lead coordinator for the march and is also the director of external affairsfor the Koreatown Youth and Community Center — immigrated to the United States from South Korea when he was in third grade.

"[Even as a] proud American Citizen, I've always felt as a perpetual foreigner," he said. "...that ends today."

The following elected officials were among those who spoke to the crowd on Saturday: Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.), L.A. County Supervisor Holly Mitchell, Rep. Judy Chu (D-Monterey Park), L.A. City Councilman Mark Ridley Thomas and Assemblymember Miguel Santiago.

CNN host Lisa Ling, actress Kelly Hu and James An, president of the Korean American Federation of L.A. were also in attendance.

"We need to continue to be loud and stand together to stop hate crimes," Mitchell said. "Now is not the time to be silent, let's continue to support each other and speak out against hate."

Kang himself took the stage Saturday in front of hundreds of demonstrators to share his vision to end hate against Asian communities.

"We want to take this to more of a legislative route now that we've done these marches and rallies," he told Patch. "We need tangible solutions — so we challenged the elected officials that were present to help us draft legislation and pass policy ideas to help the victims of hate but also to create hotlines and other resources for preventative measures as well."

A sea of people wearing red "Stop Asian Hate" shirts could be seen marching together through Koreatown as Kang said 1,200 shirts were given out.

"It was very peaceful," he said.

"Stop Anti-Asian Violence, Stop China-Bashing" rallies were also held at Los Angeles City Hall and at the intersection of Santa Monica and La Cienega boulevards in West Hollywood as part of a "national day of action" organized by the ANSWER Coalition, which bills itself as an anti-war and social justice coalition. ANSWER in an acronym for Act Now to Stop War and End Racism.

What organizers describe as "a community vigil and healing space to grieve and denounce violence against Asian Americans, misogyny, classism, racism and white supremacy" was also slated for 5-8 p.m. Saturday at Barnes Park in Monterey Park.

Face masks and physical distancing are required and double-masking is encouraged.

The event is organized SGV Progressive Action, which bills itself as a "grassroots collective in the San Gabriel Valley acting in solidarity with Black Lives Matter."

A candlelight vigil to fight against AAPI hate will also be held at Chinatown Central Plaza from 6-7:15 p.m. Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo, D-Los Angeles, is set to speak. There will be a spoken word performance by the East West Players.

The event will be socially distanced and masks are required.

A recent report released by Stop AAPI Hate recorded 3,795 incidents of harassment and assault against Asian Americans in the U.S. between Feb. 28 and March 19.

What's more, an analysis of police department statistics revealed that hate crimes targeting Asian Americans rose by almost 150 percent in 2020. The study was released by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino.

The City News Service and Patch editor Kat Schuster wrote this report.