VICHA RATANAPAKDEE

‘He must be proud of me': Honoring ‘Grandpa Vicha' 3 years after he was killed

Grandpa Vicha's daughter has pushed forward to get justice for her dad

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Three years later and still no justice. This weekend, family and friends will gather to remember Vicha Ratanapakdee, the San Francisco man, affectionately known to the community as “Grandpa Vicha.”

The 84-year-old Thai grandfather was violently pushed to the ground on Jan. 28, 2021 while on a walk near his home. Two days later, he died from his injuries. Grandpa Vicha’s death made international news and fueled the national “Stop Asian Hate” movement.

His daughter, Monthanus, never wanted the public spotlight. And, yet, she has pushed forward to get justice for her dad, “Turn the grief into bravery … I would like my dad to be remembered in the civil rights movement nationwide.”

Three years after his death, there is still no trial date set for Antoine Watson, the man accused in her father’s death.

On Sunday, the anniversary of Vicha's attack, an invite-only gathering in San Francisco of community members, including activist Helen Zia and Justin Go, the father of Fremont's Michelle Go who died in 2022 when she was pushed in front of a New York subway.

For more details on Sunday’s event in San Francisco, visit justice4vicha.org. A livestream of the event will be held between 2 to 5 p.m.

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