LIVE: SF leaders address crime data impacting AAPI community

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — At a news conference with Mayor London Breed and leaders from San Francisco’s Asian-American and Pacific-Islander (AAPI) communities in Chinatown this morning, Police Chief Bill Scott is releasing his department’s preliminary statistics on hate crimes in San Francisco for 2021.

The number of victims targeted in anti-Asian crimes rose to 60 victims in 2021, up from 9 victims in 2020 — a 567% increase.

“The number of hate crimes targeting members of our AAPI communities is alarming, but it’s important to remember that San Francisco police officers have made arrests in the majority of these cases,” Chief Scott said.

The chief said one perpetrator has been charged with 31 hate crime enhancements alone – more than half of last year’s cases.

“Hate crimes represent one of SFPD’s highest clearance rates for any crime category, and we hope that sends a forceful message to would-be hate criminals considering any kind of bias-motivated attack in our City — San Francisco will hold you accountable,” Chief Scott said.

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