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'We are not silent.' Hundreds denounce anti-Asian violence in Seattle

caption: Michael Lee holds a sign in the air that reads 'Racism Is a Virus,' as hundreds gathered for the 'We Are Not Silent' rally and march against the rise in racist violence toward both Asian American and Pacific Islander communities at Hing Hay Park in Seattle's Chinatown-International District.
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Michael Lee holds a sign in the air that reads 'Racism Is a Virus,' as hundreds gathered for the 'We Are Not Silent' rally and march against the rise in racist violence toward both Asian American and Pacific Islander communities at Hing Hay Park in Seattle's Chinatown-International District.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer

Hundreds gathered at Hing Hay Park in Seattle's Chinatown-International District on Saturday to denounce hate, bias, and violence aimed at Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, both in the region and across the U.S.

Saturday's rally and march are one of several events planned in the coming days to raise awareness and demand that action be taken by elected officials to address the disturbing rise in anti-Asian racist violence.

“We saw this ugly trend surge a year ago, when Covid-19 first emerged in our state. One year later, we have a vaccine for the virus – but racism is still running rampant,” Washington Governor Jay Inslee said in a recent statement.

RELATED: Anti-Asian hate crimes on rise in Seattle area, police say

At Hing Hay Park, several people gave testimonies before the crowd. Noriko Nasu, a Japanese language teacher at Inglemoor High School, detailed a violent, unprovoked attack that left both her and her boyfriend with serious injuries last month.

"Since the assault, I was contacted by so many people who shared their own story of abuse," Nasu said. "I was horrified to know that so many of us have experienced and are experiencing this hate, and nothing has been done."

"We are not going to be silent anymore," Nasu said. "It's time for us to demand our stories to be heard. It's time to demand justice."

Khang Nguyen, 20, led the crowd in a moment of silence to remember the lives lost.

“Let’s be clear, anti-Asian sentiment and rhetoric have always existed in this country,” Nguyen said. “From the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 to the Japanese Internment Camps of World War II - this is not new.”

"We are not silent," he said. "The world will hear our voices. They will listen to our stories. And they will remember our faces."

Youth organizers, community members and current and former elected officials spoke to the crowd before a peaceful march through Seattle's Chinatown-International District took place.

“Solidarity is the solution,” said Nathan Duong, a 12th-grade student at Monroe High School. “We step forward today. We step forward tomorrow. We step forward the day after."

"This is not a moment’s vision," he said. "It is a movement’s dream.”

caption: Hundreds gather to listen to speakers during the 'We Are Not Silent' rally and march against hate and violence toward the Asian American Pacific Islander community on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at Hing Hay Park in Seattle.
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Hundreds gather to listen to speakers during the 'We Are Not Silent' rally and march against hate and violence toward the Asian American Pacific Islander community on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at Hing Hay Park in Seattle.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: Noriko Nasu, left, speaks to the crowd during the ‘We Are Not Silent’ rally against anti-Asian hate and bias on March 13, 2021 at Hing Hay Park in Seattle. Nasu was  attacked last month in the Chinatown International-District. Several days of actions are planned by rally organizers in the Seattle area following recent attacks and violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
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Noriko Nasu, left, speaks to the crowd during the ‘We Are Not Silent’ rally against anti-Asian hate and bias on March 13, 2021 at Hing Hay Park in Seattle. Nasu was attacked last month in the Chinatown International-District. Several days of actions are planned by rally organizers in the Seattle area following recent attacks and violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: Hundreds gather to listen to speakers during the 'We Are Not Silent' rally and march against anti-Asian hate and bias on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at Hing Hay Park in Seattle.
Enlarge Icon
Hundreds gather to listen to speakers during the 'We Are Not Silent' rally and march against anti-Asian hate and bias on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at Hing Hay Park in Seattle.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: Erica Nguyen, left, and Annie Zhou hold signs that read 'Not Your Model Minority' and 'Stop The Hate' while attending the 'We Are Not Silent' rally against anti-Asian hate and violence on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at Hing Hay Park in Seattle. Several days of actions are planned by rally organizers in the Seattle area following recent attacks and violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
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Erica Nguyen, left, and Annie Zhou hold signs that read 'Not Your Model Minority' and 'Stop The Hate' while attending the 'We Are Not Silent' rally against anti-Asian hate and violence on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at Hing Hay Park in Seattle. Several days of actions are planned by rally organizers in the Seattle area following recent attacks and violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: Cierra Jones, center, listens to speakers during the 'We Are Not Silent' rally against anti-Asian hate and violence on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at Hing Hay Park in Seattle. Several days of actions are planned by rally organizers in the Seattle area following recent attacks and violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
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Cierra Jones, center, listens to speakers during the 'We Are Not Silent' rally against anti-Asian hate and violence on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at Hing Hay Park in Seattle. Several days of actions are planned by rally organizers in the Seattle area following recent attacks and violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: Hundreds gathered for the 'We Are Not Silent' rally against anti-Asian hate and violence on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at Hing Hay Park in Seattle. Several days of actions are planned by rally organizers in the Seattle area following recent attacks and violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
Enlarge Icon
Hundreds gathered for the 'We Are Not Silent' rally against anti-Asian hate and violence on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at Hing Hay Park in Seattle. Several days of actions are planned by rally organizers in the Seattle area following recent attacks and violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: A sign reading 'Respect Our Elders' is shown as hundreds gathered for the 'We Are Not Silent' rally against anti-Asian hate and violence on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at Hing Hay Park in Seattle. Several days of actions are planned by rally organizers in the Seattle area following recent attacks and violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
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A sign reading 'Respect Our Elders' is shown as hundreds gathered for the 'We Are Not Silent' rally against anti-Asian hate and violence on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at Hing Hay Park in Seattle. Several days of actions are planned by rally organizers in the Seattle area following recent attacks and violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: Auburn city council-member Chris Stearns, who is from the Navajo Nation, offers a land acknowledgement during the 'We Are Not Silent' rally against anti-Asian hate and violence on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at Hing Hay Park in Seattle. "We cannot tolerate anti-Asian bias, anti-Asian bigotry and most definitely not anti-Asian hate crimes," said Stearns. "I will be here to do what I can and give everything I have to helping out our Asian American community."
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Auburn city council-member Chris Stearns, who is from the Navajo Nation, offers a land acknowledgement during the 'We Are Not Silent' rally against anti-Asian hate and violence on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at Hing Hay Park in Seattle. "We cannot tolerate anti-Asian bias, anti-Asian bigotry and most definitely not anti-Asian hate crimes," said Stearns. "I will be here to do what I can and give everything I have to helping out our Asian American community."
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: A crowd marches from Hing Hay Park following the 'We Are Not Silent' rally against anti-Asian hate and violence on Saturday, March 13, 2021, in Seattle. Several days of actions are planned by rally organizers in the Seattle area following recent attacks and violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
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A crowd marches from Hing Hay Park following the 'We Are Not Silent' rally against anti-Asian hate and violence on Saturday, March 13, 2021, in Seattle. Several days of actions are planned by rally organizers in the Seattle area following recent attacks and violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: Michael Lee holds a sign in the air that reads 'Racism Is a Virus,' as hundreds gathered for the 'We Are Not Silent' rally and march against anti-Asian hate and violence on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at Hing Hay Park in Seattle. Several days of actions are planned by rally organizers in the Seattle area following recent attacks and violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
Enlarge Icon
Michael Lee holds a sign in the air that reads 'Racism Is a Virus,' as hundreds gathered for the 'We Are Not Silent' rally and march against anti-Asian hate and violence on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at Hing Hay Park in Seattle. Several days of actions are planned by rally organizers in the Seattle area following recent attacks and violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: Grayson Chan, 5, holds a sign that reads 'Do Not Hate Others,' while standing with his family during the 'We Are Not Silent' rally and march against anti-Asian hate and violence on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at Hing Hay Park in Seattle. Several days of actions are planned by rally organizers in the Seattle area following recent attacks and violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
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Grayson Chan, 5, holds a sign that reads 'Do Not Hate Others,' while standing with his family during the 'We Are Not Silent' rally and march against anti-Asian hate and violence on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at Hing Hay Park in Seattle. Several days of actions are planned by rally organizers in the Seattle area following recent attacks and violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: Hundreds gather to listen to speakers during the 'We Are Not Silent' rally and march against anti-Asian hate and violence on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at Hing Hay Park in Seattle. Several days of actions are planned by rally organizers in the Seattle area following recent attacks and violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
Enlarge Icon
Hundreds gather to listen to speakers during the 'We Are Not Silent' rally and march against anti-Asian hate and violence on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at Hing Hay Park in Seattle. Several days of actions are planned by rally organizers in the Seattle area following recent attacks and violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: A person wearing a shirt that includes a quote from Federick Douglass, "they divided both to conquer each," listens to speakers as hundreds gathered for the 'We Are Not Silent' rally and march against anti-Asian hate and violence on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at Hing Hay Park in Seattle. Several days of actions are planned by rally organizers in the Seattle area following recent attacks and violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
Enlarge Icon
A person wearing a shirt that includes a quote from Federick Douglass, "they divided both to conquer each," listens to speakers as hundreds gathered for the 'We Are Not Silent' rally and march against anti-Asian hate and violence on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at Hing Hay Park in Seattle. Several days of actions are planned by rally organizers in the Seattle area following recent attacks and violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: Sharon Tomiko Santos, a member of the Washington House of Representatives for the 37th legislative district, speaks to the crowd with a megaphone during the 'We Are Not Silent' rally against anti-Asian hate and violence on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at Hing Hay Park in Seattle. Several days of actions are planned by rally organizers in the Seattle area following recent attacks and violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
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Sharon Tomiko Santos, a member of the Washington House of Representatives for the 37th legislative district, speaks to the crowd with a megaphone during the 'We Are Not Silent' rally against anti-Asian hate and violence on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at Hing Hay Park in Seattle. Several days of actions are planned by rally organizers in the Seattle area following recent attacks and violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: Reverend Wayne Perryman attends the 'We Are Not Silent' rally against anti-Asian hate and violence on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at Hing Hay Park in Seattle. Several days of actions are planned by rally organizers in the Seattle area following recent attacks and violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
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Reverend Wayne Perryman attends the 'We Are Not Silent' rally against anti-Asian hate and violence on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at Hing Hay Park in Seattle. Several days of actions are planned by rally organizers in the Seattle area following recent attacks and violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer
caption: A crowd marches along 5th Avenue South during the 'We Are Not Silent' march against anti-Asian hate and violence on Saturday, March 13, 2021, in Seattle. Several days of actions are planned by rally organizers in the Seattle area following recent attacks and violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
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A crowd marches along 5th Avenue South during the 'We Are Not Silent' march against anti-Asian hate and violence on Saturday, March 13, 2021, in Seattle. Several days of actions are planned by rally organizers in the Seattle area following recent attacks and violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
KUOW Photo/Megan Farmer


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