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"Stop Asian Hate": Protest sign against anti-Asian hate crimes
Photo: Jae C. Hong / AP
The US Congress passed legislation to more effectively combat hate crimes against people of Asian descent in the United States.
After the Senate, the House of Representatives also approved the law with a large majority on Tuesday evening.
Among other things, this is intended to ensure that the Ministry of Justice will review hate crimes more quickly.
Reporting such crimes should also be made easier.
In addition, the government should be obliged to raise awareness of hate crimes during the corona pandemic.
US President Joe Biden wants to sign the law this week and put it into effect, as his spokeswoman Jen Psaki announced.
The number of acts of violence against Asian or Asian people in the United States has increased significantly in the wake of the pandemic.
The now-elected US President Donald Trump had repeatedly referred to the corona virus as the "China virus" during his time in the White House and was criticized for deliberately stirring up resentment.
The draft law that has now been passed ("COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act") states that between March 2020 and February 2021, 3800 cases of anti-Asian discrimination or similar incidents in connection with the pandemic were reported in the USA.
A series of fatal attacks on Asian women in the US state of Georgia in March caused particular horror.
Biden then strongly condemned hatred and racism - and indirectly criticized Trump for his controversial statements on the corona virus.
"Words have consequences," said Biden.
"It's the coronavirus, period."
aar / dpa / AFP
