Community members came out for a march and rally in San Francisco Sunday to denounce the recent unprovoked attacks on the elderly residents.
The rally took place at Washington Square Park. Christina Chen attended Sunday's rally. She is with a group that does foot patrols in Oakland and helps escort seniors on their errands.
“It’s clear to us and our community that there is an epidemic of racism and violence targeted towards our community. I hear it from the elders, that we patrol with. We hear it from family members and loved ones as well. People are scared,” she said.
In a recent attack, a 70-year-old woman was beaten and attacked at her senior living facility.
Organizers said they like to see a town hall meeting and be able to advocate for the right solutions. They are also calling for enhanced safety at low income senior housing.
“We have to fight for our right to make sure that our voices are heard, and that we are in the process of getting accountability and safety for our community,” said Justin Zhu with the organization, “Stand with Asian Americans.”
Police spoke to the crowd during the rally and NBC Bay Area asked police about their efforts that are underway.
“I know at Central Station, specifically, I can speak to that, we are putting patrols out. We have more footbeats working. We are also doing some other investigations, to really kind of saturate the area and to get more eyes and ears out on the street,” said Lt. Mark Moreno with the San Francisco Police Department.
After the rally, the group marched out on Columbus Street and they vowed to keep speaking up.
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