BUFFALO, N.Y. — A group met Saturday afternoon at Bidwell Parkway, calling for an end to violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders after a reported spike during the coronavirus pandemic.
Organizers for this group urged people to recognize hate regardless of who it's directed at, and they want lawmakers to take greater action against these types of crimes.
Megan DePerro, a protest organizer, called for tougher punishments.
"I hope it raises awareness," she said, "and at the end of this march, and we have people with us in spirit, as well, that they reach out to their state senators calling for harsher punishment for hate crimes."
On Saturday night, there was a candlelight vigil for the victims on the University at Buffalo campus. There were signs to end the hate and to unite against racism. There was also a moment of silence held for all of the victims.
The FBI is still investigating whether the deadly shootings at spas around the Atlanta area earlier this week was a hate crime.
On Capitol Hill, House lawmakers this week held a hearing on anti-Asian discrimination and violence, the first in several decades.
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, there has been increasing attention on anti-Asian and Asian-American hate crimes across the United States.
According to a recent study from the Center of Hate and Extremism at California State University, in 16 of America's largest cities, hate crimes against Asian Americans have jumped nearly 150 percent from 2019 to 2020. New York City and Los Angeles top the list in terms of anti-Asian reported incidents.