Asian Immigrants Protest
From
World Journal
February 21, 2002
On February 20, the Coalition in Solidarity with Muslim, Arab and South
Asian Immigrants organized a demonstration downtown to protest backlash
against Middle Eastern and South Asian immigrants after the September
11 attacks.
Approximately 300 people joined the demonstration, demanding a stop to
the arrests and scapegoating of innocent people.
Many Chinese and East Asians joined in the protest. Some Chinese protestors
were concerned that the government has overreacted and has shown prejudice
against Asian immigrants. They worry that following the arrests of Middle
Easterners and Southeast Asians, perhaps East Asians will be the next.
Similar demonstrations were also held in 26 other United States cities.
However, New York, because of its large South Asian population, was the
center of this protest.
Protesters displayed the names, ages and ethnic background of those who
disappeared or were arrested by the police after September 11. Some held
posters that read " Brown skin is not a sin," "Muslims
are not criminals," "Being an Arab is not a crime," or
"1500 people were arrested. INS never revealed their names."
Translated from Chinese by Pei Chi Lin
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