Attorney General James Condemns Rise in Anti-Asian-American Acts of Hate

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today released the following statement condemning the continued rise in acts of hate and violence targeting the Asian-American community and reminding New Yorkers to report instances of hate to her office:

“The continued rise in acts of hate and violence against our Asian-American communities is despicable and an affront to our values and rights. Let me be clear: Hate will never be tolerated in New York or anywhere else in the nation, and there will never be justification for discrimination in any shape or form. No one should live in fear for their life or of violence because of who they are, what they look like, or where they come from. My office will continue to take action against bigotry and hate of any kind, and I encourage everyone to remain vigilant and to report any discriminatory acts to my office at 1-800-771-7755.”

Individuals who have experienced hate crimes and bias-based incidents are encouraged to call the Office of the Attorney General’s Hate Crimes and Bias Prevention Unit hotline at 1-800-771-7755.

Just last week, Attorney General James filed a lawsuit against an individual in Schenectady for choosing his victims based on race, in violation of New York Civil Rights Law § 79-n. Attorney General James will continue to use the authority in New York Civil Rights Law § 79-n to prosecute hate crimes.