On June 24, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, along with leaders of multiple California legislative caucuses, urged California residents to stand up to hate by reporting suspected hate crimes in a powerful video.
The state Department of Justice’s renewed commitment to fighting hate crimes comes in the wake of increased reports of hate incidents and crimes that have accompanied the George Floyd protests and the hateful rhetoric surrounding COVID-19.
“I commend Attorney General Becerra for bringing together this coalition of legislators to speak out against hate and bigotry,” said California State Senator Scott Wiener. ”
According to the Attorney General’s office, a hate crime is defined under California law as a criminal act committed, in whole or in part, because of the victim’s race or ethnicity, gender, nationality, religion, disability or sexual orientation.
The Attorney General’s office also advises actions for people to take if they believe they’ve been the victim of a hate crime, including writing down exact words used and relevant facts of the incident, saving all evidence and photos, and getting the contact information of other victims and witnesses.
