Legislation
calls for action against hate crimes resulting from racist rhetoric during the
COVID-19 pandemic
Washington
(April 22, 2021) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) released the following
statement after the Senate passed the COVID–19 Hate Crimes Act today.
“The
COVID-19 pandemic unleashed more than a virus on our society, it also spread
race and ethnic-based hatred, manifesting in an alarming rise in crimes of
violence against the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. The
surge in hate crimes across the country has not occurred in a vacuum. Some
political leaders have not only failed to denounce these hate crimes, they have
used prejudicial rhetoric themselves, potentially emboldening those with racist
views.
“The
COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act is an important step in combatting violence
based on race, ethnicity, and identity. I am proud to be an original cosponsor
of this legislation that will expedite the review of COVID-19-related hate
crimes, provide support for state and local law enforcement agencies to respond
to them, and take steps to mitigate racially discriminatory language used to
describe the pandemic. This bill is an important down payment on our promise to
address the root causes of this hatred and violence, as we lift up the
incredible heritage and history of the Asian community in the United States of
America. Our work to build a more perfect union is far from over – but we’ll
get there, thanks to the AAPI community.”
This
legislation will require the Department of Justice (DOJ) to expeditiously
investigate the numerous hate crimes that racist rhetoric has spawned during
the COVID-19 pandemic, primarily targeting the Asian and Asian-American and
Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. Within the last year, the number of
hate crimes against members of those communities rose by 150% in 16 of the
largest U.S. cities.
The
COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act was originally introduced on March 23, 2021 by
Senator Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii). Senator Markey is an original co-sponsor.
