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San Francisco reports 567% rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

A protester holds a sign during a rally in solidarity with Asian hate crime victims outside of the San Francisco Hall of Justice on March 22, 2021 in San Francisco, California. (Getty Images)

Hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in San Francisco had an “alarming rise” last year, data shows.

According to preliminary data from the San Francisco police department, the number of people who reported being the victim of a hate crime last year was up by 567 percent. 

There were 60 hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders last year, compared to nine in 2020 and eight in 2019, according to the data.

San Francisco’s police chief, Bill Scott, said one man is allegedly responsible for half of the reported incidents.

The man, whom he did not name, allegedly vandalized 20 separate stores across the city.

“If anybody thinks that San Francisco is an easy place to come in and terrorize our Asian communities, you are sadly mistaken — and you will be held accountable,” Scott said.

More than 9,000 anti-Asian incidents were reported between March 2020 and June 2021, across the United States.

Reports of hate incidents against Asian Americans jumped during the pandemic. Experts blame this in part on discriminatory rhetoric from former president Donald Trump, who repeatedly used racist terms in reference to the coronavirus.

President Joe Biden signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, aimed at combating the rise in hate crimes against the community.

Hate crimes against African Americans also increased 27 percent last year.

Along with hate crime incidents, domestic violence and gun violence have also risen during the pandemic.

Some 400 people were killed in gun violence in the first four days of this year, according to the latest data by the Gun Violence Archive.

The United States has seen nine mass shootings, numerous homicides and suicides as well as murders since the beginning of 2022.


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