San Diego law enforcement officials speak out against hate crimes

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iStock.com/tzahiV San Diego law enforcement officials are decrying hate crimes against Asian Americans following the Atlanta shooting that left 8 people dead – six of them Asian. Although it is not clear if the attack was racially motivated, San Diego LE took the stance that “hateful attitudes” was a factor in the attack, as well as in other incidents across the country. San Diego U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman, FBI Special Agent in Charge Suzanne Turner and District Attorney Summer Stephan spoke out against xenophobia in a joint statement, according to KPBS News. “Acts of hate have no place in our community. No one should be targeted because of who they are or where they are from. When someone is targeted because of their race or ethnicity, terror reverberates to every member of their community,” Grossman said. Turner encouraged individuals to report hate crimes to the FBI. “Members of all races, ethnicities and national origins deserve to feel safe in their communities. If a crime is shown to be motivated by bias, it will be investigated by the FBI and the perpetrators held responsible for their actions. Today, we are reminding the public to report information regarding any hate crime to the FBI,” she said. In addition, the District Attorney’s Office has documented a three-fold increase in hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders over the previous year. Stephan said, “Hate crimes are despicable and inexcusable. Protecting our community from hate crimes is a priority for my office because hate erodes our right to equality and fairness, leaves a lasting impact on the victim and instills fear in the wider community.” The San Diego Regional Hate Crime Coalition, a dual effort between the DA’s office and the FBI, provides assistance to local and state investigations of hate crimes and reviews community reports about potential hate crimes. The FBI encourages all members of the community to reach out and report any potential hate crimes by calling 800-CALL-FBI or via the website www.fbi.gov/tips. The post San Diego law enforcement officials speak out against hate crimes appeared first on American Police Beat Magazine.