Was Live Friday, Aug 23, 2024 | 11am PST
Related Coverage
Guest Speakers
- Monthanus Ratanapakdee, whose father was killed in what appeared to be a hate crime
- Kunni, a bartender who was pepper-sprayed as her attackers yelled “go back to your country.”
- Erin West, Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney
- Manjusha Kulkarni, co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate
Event Overview
In 2023, a total of 1,970 hate crimes were reported by law enforcement agencies in California. But only 5 actually went to trial, according to data from the California Attorney General’s Office. In 2021, when the state was experiencing an alarming spike in hate violence, just one case went to trial. Black people are overwhelmingly the targets of hate crimes, while Jewish people, Muslims, and the LGBTQ community are also experiencing a rise in bias-motivated attacks.
Hate crimes are notoriously difficult to prove, says California Attorney General Rob Bonta, echoing the comments of prosecutors throughout the nation. Speakers this week include two victims who unsuccessfully tried to get hate crime charges added to their perpetrators’ cases. We will also hear from a prosecutor who will discuss the evidence requirements for successful hate crime charges and convictions, and a community advocate who will share why reporting hate crimes remains important, even though conviction rates are low.
