Emergency Rally Held in Response to the Alarming Spike in Anti-Asian Violence

Activists and demonstrators rallied on February 20th to raise awareness and concern for the alarming increase in Anti-Asian violence. Activists spoke on the recent violence against the Asian communities and demand for sharp change.

As the rally began, participants showcased their signs in response to recent attacks on Asian-Americans. Justice for Jennifer, Christian, and Vicha are recent examples of hatred towards Asian Americans.

The Unite Against White Nationalism rally peacefully began at 2 pm in the Washington Square Park Arch located in Greenwich Village. Demonstraters came out in numbers to show their enormous support as a sign of solidarity. An analysis by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism revealed that anti-asian violence soared 150% in 2020. The rally emphasizes a message that Asian Americans along with other minorities have been treated like a virus. Social groups came out to set the record and encouraged communities to tackle racism and improve hate crime investigations.

Creative demonstrators displayed a bike with the message “This machine slays fascists”, a call condemning white supremacy in America

In the age of covid, organizers have prioritized safety for attendees. With many challenges to face, fighting for justice is a long one. However, it provided an open space for creators to use art to send their message in a socially distanced world. During the rally, demonstrators used their art such as this bicycle to denounce white supremacy.

A demonstrator held up her large sign with names such as Christian Hall and Vicha Ratanapakdee, who have been unjustly killed in the recent spike in Anti-Asian violence.

Throughout the rally, the woman shown was seen with her large sign informing attendees of the recent tragedies in the Asian community. In February 2020 alone, an elderly Thai man, Vicha Ratanpakdee was killed in an unprovoked attack in San Francisco. Asian American teen Christian Hall was killed by police after experiencing a mental health crisis. Two Asian American women were recently attacked on the New York subway. A call to action is demanded.

A woman held up a sign in her native language. Translated, the sign read “I’ve had enough”. Two dogs are visible here to add additional support.

As the rally progressed, more protestors made their presence known. As hate crimes against Asian Americans climbs, outraged citizens became more inclined to show their support. When asked for the translation of this women’s sign, she responded “I’ve had enough”. A simple but powerful statement. The woman stood in a crowd surrounded by members of the community, along with a couple of pooches who also supported the movement.

Another woman carried a sign in the middle of the gathering. While rallying, demonstrators followed mask-wearing guidelines as seen here and throughout the park.

Activist Rohan Zhou-Lee addressed the rally near the Washington Square Arch. As Afro-Asian, they are heavily involved in the movement to combat racism and other social issues.

Later on, activist Rohan Zhou-Lee spoke to the crowd regarding the recent cases of Anti-Asian violence and his organization. Identifying as Afro-Asian, Rohan founded the Blasian March, an organization that serves as a “Black, Asian, and Blasian solidarity” aimed to educate the public on social issues surrounding the black and Asian community. Rohan’s ultimate message to the public is to “show a sense of unity between multiple marginalized folks”.

Another speaker addressed the Asian Trans community who has also been targeted in recent months.

A large Trans Lives Matter flag is flown throughout the speaker addresses. It symbolizes support for those Asian trans lives who have also been targeted by Anti-Asian rhetoric.

After Rohan’s speech, other leaders came up to address the Asian-trans lives that have also been affected throughout the hate crime surge. The digital age has allowed marginalized communities to band together and demand better change for their affected groups. The trans lives matter flag was flown over the crowd throughout the rally. People from all backgrounds listened attentively to organizers and documented this moment in history.

Trending hashtags like #StopAsianHate can be seen in the crowd as activists speak. Turnout increased as public outrage surged. As many protesters point out, “people are becoming more woke”.

As the rally progressed, more people showed up to support the movement. Since the George Floyd protests, there is a noticeable increase in protest/rally participation. As seen here, more people gathered to send a message to current leaders. Because more people are aware of the injustices occurring, it leads to greater turnout to rallies such as this. But keeping safety in mind, mask-wearing was still highly enforced in these events.

A candlelight memorial is held in honor of those lost in the recent Anti-Asian violence surge. The area provided a safe space for discussion.

At the center of the Arch, a memorial was set up honoring those killed in the recent wave of Anti-Asian attacks. Protestors throughout dropped by and paid their respects. As the memorial gained attention, more protestors asked questions on what happened and why it happened. The area became a discussion space between different parties.

Throughout the protest, this pair walked around the park to condemn the attacks and calls for all communities to tackle racism. The sweatshirt’s “Unfuck The World” was also worn by other protestors.

Towards the end of the rally, turnout still grew and many more protestors showcased their support through large signs and clothing. A common hoodie I noticed was “Unfuck The World”, which is a campaign with the purpose of mobilizing individuals across the world to take local positive change.

Protestors took a breather and prepared for the march that followed after this rally. Two individuals wore masks that say “I am not a virus”, a new addition to protesting due to the pandemic.

At the conclusion of the rally, protestors took a breather as the organizers prepare for a march throughout the city. Following the events of the rally, their emotions became increasingly visible. Two women here were seen with decorated masks with the message “I am not a virus”. The pandemic has had an effect on the way people protest. With masks becoming a norm, people have used the power of the masks to send powerful messages amid tensions in the United States. The rally concluded but the fight towards better change continues, even in a global crisis.

Hear recent news regarding the protest:
https://www.npr.org/2021/02/27/972056885/anti-asian-hate-crimes-rise-dramatically-amid-pandemic
https://www.voanews.com/usa/race-america/hate-crimes-targeting-asian-americans-spiked-150-major-us-cities

Recent Statistics:

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/anti-asian-hate-crimes-increased-nearly-150-2020-mostly-n-n1260264