After two recent attacks on elderly Asian women in the Tenderloin, San Francisco city leaders and members of the Asian American Pacific Islander community came out Thursday to denounce the violence.
The attacks, which involved victims in their 70s, happened within a week of each other last month.
"Sadly and unacceptably there have a number of incidents recently of API (Asian Pacific Islander) elders, of Chinese elders, of southeast Asian elders, who have been walking in this community and have been attacked senselessly," Supervisor Matt Haney said.
A 34-year-old man has been arrested in the case. Charges include elder abuse, aggravated assault and violation of a stay away order from Market and Jones streets.
"We don’t know all the details, what motivated this individual, but we have seen a very deeply concerning rise in these type of attacks," Haney said.
Members of community groups also spoke out, many noting growing tension and hostility due to the coronavirus pandemic and what they described as a divisive political landscape.
"There is an increase in anti-Asian sentiment and that started at the top," Judy Young with the Southeast Asian Development Center said.
