Asian Americans Have Been Protesting Violence Against Their Community For Months

Across the US, protests have called attention to hate incidents against Asian Americans, fueled in part by racist responses to the coronavirus pandemic.

By
Pia Peterson
by Pia Peterson

BuzzFeed News Photo Editor

Since the pandemic was declared, thousands of Asian Americans in the US have been victims of hate incidents. On Tuesday, six Asian women were killed in shootings at spas near Atlanta. Activists have protested against these acts of violence and racism for several months now. These photos from these protests speak to the pain within the Asian American community.

An Asian American man wears a mask that reads "Hate is a virus"
Photographer Lev Radin / Sipa USA via AP

More than 200 people gathered at Washington Square Park in New York City to support the Asian community against hate crimes and white nationalism on Feb. 20, 2021.

A girl wearing a face mask holds a sign saying "love us like you love our food and culture"
Ringo Chiu / Getty Images

A girl wearing a face mask takes part in a rally to raise awareness of anti-Asian violence at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles on March 13, 2021.

Hundreds of people gather in Seattle's Chinatown to protest; in the background, a sign reads "AAPI against hate"
Lindsey Wasson / Reuters

Hundreds of people gather during a protest against anti-Asian hate crimes, organized by the Asian American Pacific Islanders Organizing Coalition Against Hate & Bias, at Hing Hay Park in the Chinatown-International District of Seattle on March 13, 2021.

Three people walk by a mural of Bruce Lee with signs that read "hate is a virus" and "stop Asian hate"
Lindsey Wasson / Reuters

Marchers walk by a mural of Bruce Lee and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar by artist Shara Lee during a protest against anti-Asian hate crimes at Hing Hay Park in Seattle on March 13.

Two women in masks hold signs reading "end the violence against Asians" and "racism is a virus" at a protest
Lindsey Wasson / Reuters

Dawn Cheung and Victoria Do clap and cheer while listening to speakers during a protest against anti-Asian hate crimes at Seattle's Hing Hay Park, March 13.

A man holds a sign reading "Asians are not viruses, Racism is" while a woman holds a sign reading "stop Asian hate, attacking Asian elderlies makes you a weak loser"
Ringo Chiu / Getty Images

Demonstrators rally against anti-Asian violence at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles's Little Tokyo neighborhood, March 13.

A protester holds a placard that reads "end the violence against Asians" in front of the Washington Square Arch surrounded by snow on the ground
Ron Adar / Sipa USA via AP

A protester at the "End the Violence Towards Asians" rally in Washington Square Park, Feb. 20.

People kneel at an altar for victims of anti-Asian violence
Damian Dovarganes / AP

Minister Tony Truong (right) prays at an altar for victims of violence at a Los Angeles rally, March 13.

a woman holds a sign that reads "We Belong Here, Stop Asian hate"
Lindsey Wasson / Reuters

Carol Narasaki holds a cardboard sign while listening to speakers during a protest against anti-Asian hate crimes in Seattle, March 13.

Two women in front of a large crowd hold signs reading "stop Asian hate" and "I am not your scapegoat" at a rally
Ringo Chiu / Getty Images

People demonstrate in Los Angeles on March 13.

Two women hold a sign reading "We are not your scapegoat"
Rachel Wisniewski / Reuters

Alexis Lin (left) and Rania Bakrhi attend a vigil in Philadelphia in solidarity with the Asian American community on March 17.

A man stands in his restaurant with unopened boxes of plates and fortune cookies
Damian Dovarganes / AP

Benny Yun, the owner of the Yang Chow restaurant in Los Angeles, stands inside his restaurant filled with supplies on Dec. 17, 2020. Yun said even though his businesses have survived the pandemic, they get prank calls almost daily asking if they have dog or cat on the menu or impersonating a thick Asian accent.

A woman holds a hand high in the air and carries a sign reading "My grandparents did not come here and work their asses off for this"
Ringo Chiu / Getty Images

Demonstrators wear face masks and hold signs during a Los Angeles rally on March 13.

A subway sign shows illustrations of two Asian women with flowers and reads "I did not make you sick"
Strf / STRF/STAR MAX/IPx

Posters against anti-Asian prejudice are seen in the Barclays Center subway station in Brooklyn on Jan. 1, 2021.

A woman standing with her back to the camera holds a sign with the words "Model Minority" crossed out
Media Punch / AP

Protesters attend the American Asian Federation's Anti-Asian Hate Rally at Foley Square in lower Manhattan, Feb. 27, 2021.

A demonstrator holding a sign for "black & asian solidarity" in a crowd near a person waving a flag with a picture of the Earth
Ringo Chiu / Getty Images

People demonstrate in Los Angeles on March 13.

A mother holds a sign reading "Stop Asian Hate" while her son's sign reads "Stop Racism! We are NOT a virus!"
Rachel Wisniewski / Reuters

Melissa Min attends a vigil with her son James in Philadelphia on March 17, 2021.

A sign shows a stencil of an older man with the hashtag "#JusticeForVicha"
Jason Redmond / Getty Images

Someone holds a sign featuring Vichar Ratanapakdee, 84, who was fatally attacked in San Francisco on Jan. 28, during a Seattle rally on March 13.

Family members wear face masks and hold signs that read "Stop Racist Violence"
Ringo Chiu / Getty Images

A family attends a Los Angeles protest on March 13.

A protester wearing gloves, a jacket, scarf, and face mask holds a placard that reads "justice for Jennifer Christian Vicha Ee Lee Noel" during a demonstration
Ron Adar / Sipa USA via AP

A protester at the Washington Square Park demonstration

A man holds a cardboard sign that features a series of hashtags, including "humanity matters," "stand for Asians" and "diversity matters"
Damian Dovarganes / AP

A man participates in the Los Angeles rally.

A woman holds two heart-shaped balloons that read "stop the hate" and "love each other"
Damian Dovarganes / AP

Kara Chu, an 18-year-old Chinese Japanese American student, holds a pair of heart balloons that she decorated for the Los Angeles rally.


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