An Air Force veteran was attacked in Koreatown in Los Angeles and accused of anti-Asian slander by two men who also threatened to kill him.
Denny Kim, 27, had a black eye and fractured his nose after being knocked to the ground in an unprovoked attack on Kenmore Avenue last week, according to NBC Los Angeles.
Kim says it was called “ching chong”, “Chinese virus”, among other things. The police are now investigating this incident as a hate crime with criminal threats.
Kim Cha’s friend Joseph Cha, who is also a community activist, was there to defend him from the attackers.
“I was screaming, telling them to stop. Screaming, they were calling me racial slander too,” Cha told NBC LA.
The men’s descriptions were unclear, but the LAPD is looking in the area for surveillance images.
This is not the first time that Kim has faced racism while growing up in LA.
“Throughout my career, I have experienced many micro-assaults because of my race. I never felt like I fit in. I never felt like I belonged,” Kim remembered.
Connie Chung Joe, CEO of Asian Americans Advancing Justice Los Angeles, expressed support.
“I am very happy to know that he has taken the courageous step of reporting and talking about it, because many other Asian Americans are not doing it because they are afraid.” she said.
Do you have a hate incident to report? Help us document the recent increase in hate crimes against Asian Americans by visiting STOP THE HATE AAPI to report an incident. Please stay safe outside. Featured image via NBC Los Angeles
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