Acting U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh and FBI leaders condemn violence, discrimination against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

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The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the FBI condemn all acts of violence, racism, xenophobia, and intolerance against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders across the nation and in our communities,

The announcement was made March 22, 2021, by Raj Parekh, acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, made the announcement along with Steven M. D’Antuono, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office and other FBI top officials for Virginia.

“Hate crimes and discrimination against anyone, including Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, are reprehensible acts that are contrary to the ideals of our Nation and have no place in our society,” U.S. Attorney Parekh is quoted saying in the press release. “We will not stand still amid the horrific reports of racist and xenophobic acts of violence targeting Asian American and Pacific Islander individuals and communities nationwide. I reaffirm our Office’s unwavering commitment to ensuring that those who perpetrate federal crimes fueled by hate are held accountable, and EDVA stands united with our law enforcement partners in combating these injustices. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are our fellow Americans, and like all human beings, deserve dignity, respect, and the right to live without fear. As part of our collective responsibility to ensure equality and justice for all, I urge members of the community to report hate-based crimes to law enforcement to ensure that anyone who engages in this deplorable conduct can be brought to justice,” Parekh added.

“The Asian American and Pacific Islander community can trust that the FBI is dedicated to investigating hate crimes, which can have a devastating impact and bring fear to entire communities,” said Steven M. D’Antuono, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office. “A Core Value of the FBI is respecting the dignity of all those we protect. The FBI is committed to working with all communities to build trust and address the fears they experience due to hate and biased-based crimes, which have no place in our Nation.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia urged the community to be vigilant and to report any suspected hate-based crime to the FBI by submitting an online tip at fbi.gov/tips, by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI, or by calling 911 in an emergency.

Federal law protects against discrimination based on race, gender, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, and citizenship in several important aspects of daily life, such as housing, employment, places of public accommodation, educational opportunities, and other areas, the press release noted. More information about these and other federal civil rights protections is available at https://civilrights.justice.gov/#your-rights.

Additional resources regarding hate crimes and bias incidents is available at https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/civil-rights/hate-crimes#FBI-Resources.