An annual report released by California’s attorney general reveals the hate crime rate climbed an alarming 31 percent during the pandemic due to crimes targeting primarily Black people — reportedly the highest it’s been in more than 13 years.
Attorney General Rob Bonta made the stunning revelation on Wednesday, June 30, in Oakland’s Chinatown surrounded by citizen security volunteers, stating, “What we see from these reports is what we have seen and felt all year. We are in the midst of a racial justice reckoning. It’s multi-faceted, and it cannot be solved overnight.” He added, “For too many, 2020 wasn’t just about the deadly virus; it was about an epidemic of hate.”
According to the Associated Press, the overall hate crime increased from 1,015 to 1,330 last year, while the number of victims increased 23 percent, from 1,247 to 1,536. Black people account for 6.5 percent of the state’s population of nearly 40 million people but were victims in 30 percent of all hate crimes — 456 overall, up 87 percent from the previous year. Meanwhile, Hispanic people accounted for 45 percent, and only 16 percent were white.
There was also an increase in homicides, compared to the rate from last year that was considerably low. KTVU-TV reported that the state had an estimated 300 more homicides than the next most deadly year in the previous decade, —2016, which had 1,930 deaths.
Bonta said during the press conference that officials have yet to determine the cause, but suggested that the 65.5 percent increase in handguns and the 45.9 percent increase in long-gun sales last year may be the culprits. A record high of 686,435 handguns were purchased, while the 480,401 rifles and shotguns sold came second to 2016. In addition, the pandemic saw three-quarters of homicides taking place in 2020 involved a firearm — up 69 percent from the year before, while domestic violence-related incidents involving a gun soared to 42 percent.
Bonta noted that although state stay-at-home orders played a significant role in daily life, coupled with the fact that the state has some of the country’s strictest firearm laws, there still needs to be more use of gun violence restraining orders to confiscate firearms from those who intend to cause harm either to themselves and or others.
“With more weapons, more economic stagnation, more desperation, I think those are all potential components and drivers of where we are today,” he explained.
