State data reveals rise in hate crimes last year, notably against Asian groups

by Olivia Wynkoop, Bay City News July 5, 2021July 2, 2021

Protesters attend a May 2, 2021, rally in Palo Alto to stop hate against Asians and Pacific Islanders. New data released by the California Department of Justice show that reported hate incidents among all demographic groups spiked along with pandemic-related shutdowns last year. (Photo by Jim Colton/Pro Bono Photo)

2020 wasn’t just about one deadly virus for some. Across California, Asian Americans and other minority groups also faced an epidemic of hate, as revealed recently by the state’s Department of Justice in a specialized report.

Attorney General Rob Bonta presented a report on anti-Asian hate crimes during the pandemic at an event held in Oakland last week. According to state figures, anti-Asian hate crimes increased by 107 percent from 2019, with the peak number of cases occurring simultaneously with the peak of COVID-19 shutdowns in 2020.

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