Data source: CSUSB Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism
I would have thought that New York or San Francisco would be experiencing the most anti-Asian hate incidents in North America, but the most heavily Asian large city in Canada, Vancouver, has seen the most incidents by far. Vancouver is 42% percent Asian, and the large influx of Asians, many of who buy some of the most expensive properties in the area contribute to making Vancouver the second most unaffordable city in the world, has been a source of friction. The pandemic has brought some of the latent anger to be expressed more overtly.
In a way, it makes sense that Vancouver would be an anti-Asian hot spot. Professor Robert Pape and his students at the Chicago Project for Security and Threats have analyzed the characteristics of the Capital Hill insurrectionists. A major characteristic is that many of them are from areas where the white percentage of the population is declining. Vancouver would fit that bill, and would additionally include tremendous gains in the power and influence of Asians. Pape’s work talks about “fear of white replacement” and the growing possibility of “lone wolf attacks against minorities.” Looks like that prediction is already here.
Some notes on the data:
- Canadian definitions for hate crimes are not as strict compared to American standards.
- Data on 2020 hate crimes were data from CSUSB Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism
- Data does not include 2021 anti-Asian hate crimes, which are happening at a much higher rate than in 2021 according the same report.
- Data is only what is reported to policy – some estimate that a large number of hate crimes are not reported for a variety of reasons.
- Excited
- Fascinated
- Amused
- Disgusted
- Sad
- Angry
