President Biden on Thursday night condemned “malicious” hate crimes against Asian Americans, which he said were “attacked, harassed, blamed and scapegoat” during the coronavirus pandemic.
“They are forced to live in fear for their lives just by walking the streets in America,” he said. Biden said during a speech in the White House for the first time, and it’s been a year since the coronavirus was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. . “It’s wrong. It’s un-American, and it needs to stop. ”
Asian Americans struggled with anxiety and fear as violence against them escalated during the pandemic. Activists and elected officials say the attacks were fueled in part by the rhetoric of former President Donald J. Trump, who frequently referred to the coronavirus as the “Chinese virus” because it originated in Wuhan, China. Mr. Trump also blamed the Chinese government for the pandemic, saying Beijing could not spread the virus outside China’s borders.
In recent years, researchers and activist groups have discussed thousands of racist incidents against Asian Americans. Earlier this year, an 84-year-old man from Thailand was forcibly knocked to the ground during an attack in San Francisco, and he later died. The assassination, which his family described as racially motivated, sparked a campaign to raise awareness of his death and the recent attacks on Asian Americans.