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Following the fatal attacks on three massage studios in the state of Georgia, US President Joe Biden and his deputy Kamala Harris traveled to Atlanta to meet with representatives of the Asian community. According to her spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre, the increase in violence against American citizens of Asian origin will be discussed. The president will highlight his willingness to fight “xenophobia, intolerance and hatred.”
Eight people were killed in Tuesday’s attacks, including six women of Asian descent. According to police, the 21-year-old suspect, Robert Aaron Long, rejected a racist motive. He said that in fighting his sex addiction he wanted to “eliminate” a temptation that had put him in conflict with his strict religious beliefs.
Authorities have yet to confirm Long’s motive. Overall, however, the act is symbolic of the intertwining of sexism and racism in the United States. On the day of the attack, a report by the organization Stop AAPI Hate was published, according to which hate crimes against people of Asian descent in the US have increased and women are affected more than average.
By order of Biden, the flags of the White House and other public buildings must remain at half mast until Monday. The House of Representatives observed a minute of silence on Thursday. Vigils were held in several major cities, while police in New York, Seattle, Chicago, San Francisco and elsewhere increased their patrols in neighborhoods with large Asian-American populations.
