As New York City absorbed more sobering news about racism, Roosevelt Islanders responded with an AAPI Stop the Hate Rally. It was organized in just a couple days, but brought dozens out on Saturday.
Photos courtesy of rally organizer Rachel Dowling
Inspired by a mass killing in Atlanta, Roosevelt Islanders quickly spread the word about a rally on Facebook, and it was a typical local event. That is, not like anywhere else. Organizers drew residents as much in support of their AAPI neighbors as in protest.
Six of those killed in Atlanta were identified as Asian.
In the meantime, the struggle in New York brought media coverage with five new hate crimes against Asians.
And Police Commissioner Dermot Shea told PIX11 that NYPD investigated ten anti-Asian hate crimes so far in 2021. For the same period, last year, there were none.
Not without some bumps along the way, the Roosevelt Island community welcomes shifting demographics with culture-rich dynamics.
Saturday’s rally echoed a Black Lives Matter rally held in the same spot during the national George Floyd protests, last June.
- MTA Launches Six-Year Signal and Track Overhaul on A and C Subway LinesThe MTA launches a six-year signal and track overhaul on A and C subway lines, bringing CBTC and major infrastructure upgrades to the Fulton and Liberty Avenue corridors through 2032.
- Long Island City Rent Overcharge Lawsuit Seeks $50 Million Against DeveloperA Long Island City rent overcharge lawsuit seeks about $50 million from Rockrose Development, raising questions about billing practices, tenant protections, and legal oversight in NYC’s fast-changing rental market.
- Astoria E-Scooter Rider Dies After Northern Boulevard Crash in Long Island CityA 22-year-old Astoria e-scooter rider died after a Northern Boulevard crash in Long Island City. Details remain under investigation, highlighting micromobility risks on busy city streets.
- Hate Crime Charges Filed After Vandalism at Fresh Meadows Kosher Bagel ShopHate crime charges have been filed after vandalism at a kosher bagel shop in Fresh Meadows, with prosecutors alleging bias-motivated acts. Hearings are set in New York’s legal process.
- Midtown Subway Shooting Leaves 26-Year-Old Dead; Queens Incidents SeparateA shooting inside a Manhattan subway station left a 26-year-old dead. Police investigate the Midtown incident and separate shootings in Queens as commuters seek safety.
Can the Lawsuit Reach the Stacks in Time?
The underlying record remains largely hidden. Now two residents have taken the question somewhere government cannot manage quite as easily: a courtroom.
1 COMMENTS