(LOS ANGELES, CA – 3/3/2023) – The Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA) today condemned an alleged racist attack on a man at a Metro Station in Koreatown, Los Angeles, Calif.
On Sunday night, the man was approaching the Purple Line train at the Wilshire/Western station when a group of individuals reportedly brutally attacked him and yelled racial slurs at him.
After the attack, the victim was able to get on the train and reach 7th and Figueroa station, where he filed a report with the LAPD.
SEE: Man says attackers yelled racial slurs at him during beating at Koreatown Metro station
In a statement, CAIR-LA Executive Director Hussam Ayloush said:
“Many people rely on public transportation to reach their place of employment, visit friends and family, and accomplish other important errands. This horrific attack not only physically injured the victim, but also left him in fear of taking public transportation. Everyone deserves the right to feel safe in all public spaces and forms of transit.
“This incident also highlights the widespread use of racial slurs and the increase in hate crimes that continue to be an unfortunate reality for ethnic and religious minorities across the nation. We stand with all victims of racial bias and hope that the LAPD apprehends those responsible for this apparent hate crime.”
Last year, CAIR-CA worked in support of SB 1161 alongside community partners at California is No Place for Hate. The bill, introduced by Senator Min and signed into law by California Governor Gavin Newsom, encourages California’s 10 largest transit operators to address street harassment as a safety concern in their public transit systems by collecting and analyzing different forms of data from riders surrounding street harassment at transit stops and on transit vehicles, and use this data when planning, developing, and executing new projects within their systems.
To report any bias incidents, contact CAIR-LA’s Civil Rights Department at (714) 776-1177 or click here to file a report.
CAIR-LA is Southern California’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR-LA Digital Communications Manager Enjy El-Kadi, (714) 851-4851 or eelkadi@cair.com