Atlanta shootings: Hundreds rally to assist Asian-Americans

Hundreds of individuals rallied outdoors the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta on Saturday to denounce violence in opposition to the Asian-American group after eight folks, together with six girls of Asian descent, have been killed in shootings at three spas earlier this week.
Demonstrators of all age teams and ethnic backgrounds have been seen waving American flags and carrying placards that learn “We are not the virus” and “Stop Asian Hate.”
US Senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff and Georgia state Representative Bee Nguyen — the primary Vietnamese-American to serve within the Georgia House — have been amongst those that spoke on the occasion.
“I just wanted to drop by to say to my Asian sisters and brothers, we see you, and, more importantly, we are going to stand with you,” Warnock mentioned as he was met by a cheering crowd and passing automobiles honking their horns in assist of the rally.
“We’re all in this thing together,” he added.
Growing anti-Asian hate amid COVID pandemic
On Tuesday, 4 folks have been killed and one particular person was injured at a therapeutic massage parlor in Cherokee County.
Shortly after, shootings additionally came about at two Atlanta therapeutic massage spas that are located throughout the road from one another, leaving 4 extra folks — all girls — lifeless.
The police charged a 21-year-old white man for the capturing.
The suspect, Robert Aaron Long, has admitted to the shootings, however he maintains they weren’t racially motivated.
He claimed to have a “sex addiction,” with authorities saying he was triggered by what he noticed as sources of temptation.
However, lawmakers and anti-racism activists have mentioned that anti-Asian bias might have been a part of the motivation.
The killings come at a time of rising anti-Asian hate within the nation.
Community leaders have attributed the hate to Asian-Americans being blamed for the coronavirus pandemic.