NY attorney general launches hotline for Asian Americans to report discrimination
New York State Attorney General Letitia James has launched a hotline for New Yorkers to report hate crimes and discrimination amid rising reports of anti-Asian harassment amid the coronavirus outbreak.
James' office said in a statement that the hotline, which started March 23 and will continue indefinitely, will help provide resources to victims and could lead to civil investigations. Local law enforcement is ultimately responsible for any criminal prosecution.
“No one should live in fear for their life because of who they are, what they look like, or where they come from," James said in a statement.
Asians across the globe have reported experiencing xenophobia as a result of coronavirus fears, with several incidents involving physical harassment. President Donald Trump and other Republicans have referred to the coronavirus as the “Wuhan virus” or “Chinese virus,” saying that it's not racist to do so since that's where the outbreak started. But experts say such remarks could be fueling real-life acts of discrimination.
John C. Yang, president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, told NBC Asian America in the past that Trump's repeated use of the phrase could have a dangerous impact.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/ny-attorney-general-launches-hotline-asian-americans-report-discrimination-n1167766?cid=sm_npd_nn_tw_ma&cid=sm_npd_nn_tw_ma