San Francisco city officials vow to crack down on anti-Asian-American hate crime

By Edward Era Barbacena

The coronavirus pandemic has brought out the worst among people since it has emerged from Wuhan, China 2 years ago. In the Unites States, Asian-Americans became the subject of displacements of nonsensical hatred.  They were often targeted and blamed for the pandemic.  The worsening Pandemic gives way to the rise of the so-called Asian-hate crimes all through out the United States.

San Francisco’s police chief, William Scott, told a news conference that he had already ordered increased officer presence and patrols in Chinatown despite staffing shortages he blamed on the COVID-19 pandemic.

“If anybody thinks San Francisco is an easy place to come in and terrorize our Asian communities, you are sadly mistaken. And you will be held accountable. You will be arrested and you will be charged,” Scott said.

Scott and Mayor London Breed sought to reassure residents of the city’s large Asian-American community ahead of the Chinese Lunar New Year, which begins on Feb. 1 and will be celebrated in San Francisco with a parade on Feb. 19.

“This is an extraordinary community and I am heartbroken, I’m frustrated, I’m embarrassed, I’m angry about the violence that has continued to impact many of the people who are part of our Asian community but especially our seniors,” Breed said.

Scott said that more than 30 of the hate crimes had been linked to a single individual who was arrested last August.

The police chief did not name that suspect but appeared to be referring to Derik Barreto, 36, who was charged on Aug. 16 with smashing the windows of more than two dozen Chinese-owned businesses as he rode through the city on a scooter.

San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin faces a recall election in June, targeted by activists who accuse him of being soft on crime.