Hundreds of people gathered in Lower Manhattan on Saturday to protest increased violence against Asian Americans.
The Foley Square rally was near the site of Thursday’s attack on a 36-year-old Asian man who was stabbed in the stomach. Police arrested Salman Muflihi, 23, who was initially charged with attempted murder as a hate crime and sexual assault as a hate crime, among other cases.
“We will not accept hatred in New York City! Stop Asian hatred. This is the message we need to spread, not just in New York City, but across the country. Stop the Asian hatred, stop it now, ”Mayor de Blasio told the crowd.
Rep. Grace Meng, a Queens Democrat of Taiwanese descent, said, “Too many people are living in fear right now.”
“People are literally afraid to leave their homes,” said Meng. ‘We’ve learned all our lives to just belong. Just be quiet, don’t talk, be invisible. If you are invisible enough, you will be seen as an American. But we are here to say that we will not be invisible anymore! We will speak! … We are Americans too. “
Attorney General Letitia James encouraged victims to report attacks.
“Come to my office so we can do something about it. Come to my office so we can go after these people who hate us and shut them down, ”said James.
Senator John Liu, a Queens Democrat born in Taiwan, said, “If you attack one of us, we’ll all get up and fight back. … We will be loud and proud. “
Prosecutors dropped hate crime charges against Muflihi on Saturday during his arraignment in Manhattan criminal court. He is now facing attempted murder and attempted assault in the case.
