Montclair Council Decries ‘Asian American Hate’ After GA Shooting

MONTCLAIR, NJ — “We stand with all our neighbors and with communities around the country in rejecting violence, bigotry and racism of any kind.” That was the message from Montclair’s mayor and members of the township council in the wake of a series of fatal shootings in Georgia last week.

According to authorities, a gunman opened fire at three massage parlors across the metro Atlanta area on March 16. Cherokee County Sheriff's Capt. Jay Baker said the gunman admitted to the killings and blamed the massage parlors for fueling his sex addiction. Read More: Metro Atlanta Massage Parlor Shootings (5 Things To Know)

Although many of the victims are of Asian descent, officials have said it's too early in the investigation to know if the shootings were "racially motivated." However, many advocates have since expressed fear in the wake of the shootings, and have pointed to a reported rise in anti-Asian violence since the pandemic began.

• See related article: Outrage In Essex County: 'We Stand With The Asian Community'

The Montclair Town Council and mayor released the following joint statement on Friday:

“We are deeply concerned about the violent attacks taking place in our country against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The attacks appear to be part of a trend of anti-Asian American/Pacific Islander hate brought on from the time the first COVID-19 cases were identified in Wuhan, China. Since then, Asian American and Pacific Islander persons, families, communities, and businesses have become victims of both verbal and physical assaults under the xenophobic and false misconceptions that have been spread by some in positions of power. Our nation’s AAPI communities have faced increased incidents of bigotry, discrimination and hate crimes. The Montclair Township Council strongly denounces these heinous acts. We stand with all our neighbors and with communities around the country in rejecting violence, bigotry and racism of any kind.”

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