S.F. adds police patrols in response to attacks

[alp227]

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

(04-28) 15:51 PDT SAN FRANCISCO --

San Francisco police will soon deploy 32 officers to foot-beat patrols around transit stops in the Bayview and Visitacion Valley in the aftermath of attacks near Muni lines that have victimized Asian Americans, the police chief said Wednesday.

Chief George Gascón said the added officers will be deployed starting this week and remain in the area for at least a month. They will walk beats to help reassure Asian American residents in the wake of two attacks, one fatal, along Muni's T-Third Metro line, and an assault on a Muni driver, he said.

"They will be in high-visibility patrol to reassure the community in that area that it is a safe place to come, (and) it's a safe place, certainly, to use our municipal busing systems," Gascón said.

"It's really unfortunate that we have had some incidents that have led to a great deal of concern, especially in the Chinese American community, and we want to reassure that community, as well as every other community in the city, that the Police Department is there to support them," Gascón said.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/04/28/BA9G1D6APO.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea

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Also, a few weeks ago, Chinese-American resident Tian Sheng Yu was assaulted in Oakland and died in hospital. There's been several incidents of violence against Asian-Americans in SF Bay Area that there's even a Facebook group "Stop the violence against Asian Americans". Even with the Civil Rights Acts in effect for 40+ years there's still so much hate in America.

[Xipe Totec]

1. I hate to see this kind of crap happening

I hope the patrols help.

[leeloo]

2. I believe they arrested a couple of people in relation to the Oakland killing.

[EFerrari]

3. K&R I'm glad to see the department is responding so quickly. n/t

[Frank Booth]

4. I'm sure it's "anti-immigrant" zealots behind the violence,

completely clueless that the Bay Area wouldn't be what it is if not for Asian Americans.

[leeloo]

8. Actuall they arrested 2 black guys in relation to the Oakland killing

Oakland residents Lavonte Drummer and Dominic Davis, both 18, were arrested on suspicion of murder and assault with a deadly weapon in the Friday beating of Tiansheng Yu, 59, who died about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday after being taken off life support at Highland Hospital, police said. Drummer also was booked on suspicion of battery causing great bodily harm.


http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_14920033

[Hell Hath No Fury]

11. It is really not that simple.

I live next to Vis valley and work in Bayview -- the issue is much more complex than "anti-imigrant zealots".

Yes, the Bay Area wouldn't be what it is if not for Asian Americans, and it would not be what it is if it were not for African Americans either. All groups contribute to making us what we are.

[awoke_in_2003]

5. if you aren't lilly white...

you dont belong here :sarcasm: and K&R

[Romulox]

6. Guys, RTFA. The suspects in these cases are all black and latino.

:hi:

[awoke_in_2003]

12. well, I feel much better now

:sarcasm:

[leeloo]

9. See my post 8.....n/t

[DesertDiamond]

7. This is so frightening and so sad. People who need someone to hate always deep down

are acting out their own self hatred.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

10. There is great tension --

between the established AA residents of the area and the new Asian residents. I live and work in those areas and see it all the time at the markets and on the buses. The problem has been intensified with the rapid increase in numbers of Asians (primarily Chinese) moving into the traditional -- and last -- AA areas of the City.

Much of it is cultural and language clashes. Immigrant Chinese don't speak the language and are used to different ways of moving through crowds and "personal space", which can appear to be very pushy, rude, and abrupt, especially on the buses. I have seen many, many confrontations that ended in shouting matches and shoves. I have also been on the receiving end of the Chinese Grandma with plastic shopping bags making her way to the bus exit -- the 49ers should hire some of those gals as offensive linemen! :D I admit my own first response to such an experience has been one of extreme annoyance, but I make a point of reminding myself it is a cultural thing, not personal.

I also think the working class African Americans of those neighborhoods are particularly feeling sensitive to the new population because they have been pushed out of so much of the rest of the City, and are feeling like it is happening again.

I think there needs to be community action to create cultural awareness on both sides.