By Laura French
SAN FRANCSICO — Following a series of recent attacks on Asian Americans in San Francisco, a group of firefighters has volunteered to offer extra protection in the city’s Chinatown.
Off-duty firefighters, including members of the Asian Firefighters Association and some retired firefighters, have offered to patrol in the community under the guidance of San Francisco Police and Sheriff’s officials, according to CBS SF BayArea.
“While we don’t want them to act on criminal activity, we do want everyone to be safe, to keep the members of the community safe, and to watch out for the elderly and vulnerable,” San Francisco Sheriff Paul Miyamoto told CBS SF BayArea.
Recent assaults of Asian American victims in San Francisco include the robbery of a woman who was dragged by a vehicle on Sunday, in an incident that was caught on video.
A day earlier, a rally to denounce violence against Asian Americans was held in the city’s Chinatown following the shootings at three Atlanta-area massage businesses that killed eight people, including six women of Asian descent, according to the Associated Press.
Retired San Francisco Fire Marshal Paul Chin and Asian Firefighters Association President John Choy are among those participating in the patrols. The patrolling firefighters will also be handing out cards to spread awareness about a recently-launched tip-line that Chinese speakers can use to report crimes.
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