Following incidents of violence involving passengers, L.A. Metro has announced measures to deal with anti-Asian hate and hate crimes in general.
On April 14, Metro said, “Metro expresses its sincere condolences to transit customers who have been recent targets of hate crimes on our transit system. Metro has a zero-tolerance policy for any acts of violence against customers or employees. We strongly condemn any offenses done in the name of race, religion, sex or national origin.
“It has been reported recently that a female senior citizen was attacked in an alleged hate crime in the Eagle Rock area. The Eagle Rock incident ended with an arrest by the Los Angeles Police Department.
“There was another instance yesterday where a male Latino was a victim of an alleged hate crime in the East Hollywood area. In this incident, the suspect has yet to be apprehended.
“As both of these crimes took place within the City of Los Angeles, Metro is working closely with the LAPD to further investigate them and help bring the outstanding perpetrator to justice.”
On June 7, Metro said, “On Thursday, Metro reviewed a video posted to social media showing an assault committed against an Asian rider on our system. Metro is actively seeking additional information about this videotaped incident, including the location and time it occurred to aid in our investigation …
“Metro works with all of its law enforcement agency partners to investigate hate crimes and help bring perpetrators to justice.
“Metro is running a public awareness campaign on our buses and trains featuring ads encouraging all Angelenos to ‘Stop Asian Hate’ and we are providing rider resources to combat this crime at metro.net/bekind. Transit riders who witness a hate crime or other criminal conduct on Metro can anonymously report them by calling Transit Watch at 888-950-SAFE or by using Metro’s Transit Watch smartphone app available in iPhone and Android platforms.
“Transit riders who witness a hate crime or other criminal conduct on Metro can anonymously report them by calling Transit Watch at 888-950-SAFE or by using Metro’s Transit Watch smart phone app available in iPhone and Android platforms.”
In a June 8 message to its community-based organization partners, Metro said, “As you have likely heard, there have been several incidents across the U.S. and even an attack on a Metro bus in April and another we reported on yesterday, June 7. These incidents are awful reminders that hate crimes can happen. As many of you work with Asian American and Pacific Islander and other communities, we ask you to help us spread our resources for preventing violence and assisting survivors on the Metro system.
“Metro is here to listen to concerns and insights from CBOs regarding the violence against Asian community members we’re seeing on our transit system. Please email communityrelations@metro.net to share your thoughts with us.
“To emphasize: all riders are welcome on Metro. We have a zero-tolerance policy for harassment and discrimination and condemn all hate crimes.
“Anyone who is a victim of or witness to harassment can message or submit a report to Metro Security with the LA Metro Transit Watch App. Other ways to contact Metro Security include calling 1-888-950-7233 or texting (213) 788-2777 …
“Metro is also running a public awareness campaign on our buses and trains featuring ads encouraging all Angelenos to ‘Stop Asian Hate’ and we are providing rider resources to address this violence at metro.net/bekind.
“Please also watch and share the Community Conversations with community leaders that share the histories, challenges, and successes of some Asian American communities in Los Angeles: ‘Why I Love Chinatown’ with Eugene Wong Moy; ‘A Snapshot of the Asian American Movement’ with Miya Iwataki.
“Let’s work together to make Metro and our communities a place that is safe and welcome for everyone.”
Metro suggested other ways to build a kinder community:
“Encourage those who experience or witness acts of hate to report an incident. Reporting helps us track these incidents, so that preventative policies and programs can be developed to keep all Angelenos safe. (https://211la.org/la-vs-hate)
“Share safety tips with your friends and family on what to do if encountering or witnessing hate. (https://stopaapihate.org/safety-tips/)
“Be informed about what is happening and why. The City of LA’s Stop Hate Resource Hub offers links to numerous community organizations and more.” (https://civilandhumanrights.lacity.org/stophate)