The NYPD on Wednesday increased patrols in Asian American communities in the Big Apple – a day after six Asian women were killed in Atlanta, Georgia.
In Chinatown, five officers with the NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force were campaigning on the streets and urging those flown out in English and Chinese.
Andrew Likli, an officer working in community affairs, said, “We are handing out flyers to the Asian community here so they know how to report hate crimes and call 911. Post.
Tensions were high in Manhattan’s densely populated Chinese enclave and Flushing, Queens, with many residents saying they feared they would be recent victims of hate-crime violence.
“I no longer feel safe,” said Rong Ling, manager of the Mahayana temple at Canal Street and Bowery, that he does not like to walk the streets alone. “[I have] Read a lot [things on the] News, so i’m worried [something might] happen to [me] one day.”
There was also a show of police force around the main street of Flushing – which provides some comfort to shop owners in a bustling place.
“I am scared of my family members for my safety,” said Derrick Chan, who works at the Fancy Wave hair salon on Roosevelt Avenue. “There should be some kind of punishment. The justice system needs to do something. It is getting worse – more deadly. “
Brandon, who was getting his hair cut at the salon, shouted, “It can be a normal day and someone can only come through the door.”
“We need to find the root cause, objectives, why they are targeting Asians.”
Iris, an employee of Happy Angel Adult Day Care in Flushing, said that she and her staff now avoid going out alone.
“It’s not safe, especially for women,” she said.
In Mahayana, Manhattan, receptionist Cindy Lho said the Buddhist temple would host an “emergency prayer service” for slaughter in Atlanta – where 21-year-old Robert Aaron Long set fire to several spas and massage parlors.
Eight people, including six Asian women, were killed – speculating that the massacre may have been racially motivated.
NYPD Anti-Terrorism Bureau Tweeted Tuesday night that it was “monitoring” the fatal Atlanta shooting.
The post stated, “While there is no known nexus for #NYC, we will deploy assets across the city to our great Asian communities.”
Cities including New York have seen a wave of crimes against Asians, prompting President Biden last week to ease the disturbing trend.
“It’s wrong, it’s UN-American and it has to be stopped,” he said.
Additional reporting by Lia Eustachewich
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