4 THE QUEENS COURIER • AUGUST 26, 2021 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Queens leaders seek help in fi ghting
recent rise in anti-Asian hate attacks
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
As violent attacks against the Asian
American community continue to rise in
New York City — including the recent assault
of a Filipina nurse from Queens — local offi -
cials and community leaders are calling for
immediate resources to combat anti-Asian
hate crimes as a result of the COVID-19
pandemic.
Queens lawmakers such as
Congresswoman Grace Meng, state Senator
John Liu and Queens Borough President
Donovan Richards joined Asian American
Federation (AAF) offi cials at an emergency
press conference held on Th ursday, Aug. 19,
at 1 Centre St. in Manhattan, to denounce
the bigotry and bias against the Asian
community.
For over a year now, according to Jo-Ann
Yoo, executive director of AAF, Asian
Americans have been living in constant fear
of being assaulted on their way to the grocery
store, to the offi ce, to school and even
just walking down the street.
“I have seen and heard fi rst-hand from
friends, colleagues and families the fear of
being attacked, and the trauma in those
long aft er they have been assaulted,” Yoo
said. “Our community is desperately looking
for help to fi ght against this wave of hate.
We need to be proactive rather than reactive,
which includes providing victims with a
strong support system.”
Th e NYPD’s July 2021 report found a 363
percent increase in hate crimes targeting
Asian New Yorkers, and a national report
from Stop AAPI Hate this week found New
York to be the state with the second-highest
number of hate incident reports involving
the Asian community.
Th e report found that physical assaults are
on the rise at 16.6 percent in 2021 in comparison
to 10.8 percent in 2020. Last week there
were three attacks, including one on Potri
Ranka Manis, a Filipina nurse and frontline
health care worker who was assaulted on the
subway while handing out face masks to an
unmasked couple with a child on the E train.
Just weeks ago, Minerva Chin, a nonprofi t
leader, was attacked in Chinatown.
Manis, who has been distributing face
masks to help stop the spread of COVID,
spoke about the Aug. 10 assault at AAF’s
press conference.
“Th e man took the mask and threw it
away, and then he said, ‘Mind your own business,
chink … get out of this train Chinese
and go back to your country,’” Manis said.
“Th e woman then stood up and started
punching my head as I was trying to cover
my face.”
Aft er sharing her story, Manis had emphasized
that COVID-19 is a public health issue
that needs to be taken seriously, as it has
caused immense suff ering and devastation,
mainly to peoples’ mental health, she said.
“We need to condemn the heinous activity
that is not supposed to happen, especially
in the face of a pandemic. COVID-19 is
an enemy and because of it, there is so much
anger, frustration and so much desperation,”
Manis said. “What happened to me in the
subway, it’s a big public health issue. I’ve been
working as a public health nurse and frontliner
that goes beyond my duty hours, so we
can practice safety against the virus.”
Meng, who introduced the COVID-19
Hate Crimes Act that was signed into law
by President Biden earlier this year, called
Manis an “unsung frontline worker” and
commended her for speaking up despite the
“abhorrent” incident.
“Th ose who attacked her must be held
accountable. While my COVID-19 Hate
Crimes Act is law, it is imperative that
everyone play a role in combating anti-
Asian hate and violence,” said Meng,
who reiterated her fi rm commitment to
ensuring the federal government is
addressing such hate and violence.
According to Liu, the continuing onslaught
of anti-Asian hate and attacks requires vigilance
to underscore and denounce the violence
and bigotry that has devastated the
community along with COVID.
“Neither the passage of time nor the overwhelming
numbers of incidents will dull the
shock and outrage experienced by our community.
We are thankful to the victims who
not only reported their attacks but are outspoken
about their ordeals, and to the Asian
American Federation for their continued
eff orts,” Liu said.
Richards also hailed Manis as a Queens
health care hero who had taken it upon herself
to help protect her city from COVID-
19 by passing out free face masks to
subway riders.
“She should have been applauded by everyone
who walked past her, not become a target
of vile anti-Asian hatred in the very city she
is trying to keep safe,” Richards said. “Th is
pandemic of prejudice must not be allowed
to continue. Queens stands in solidarity with
her and all survivors of anti-Asian hate, and I
call on all our families to become active allies
in this fi ght against bigotry and bias.”
As Kathy Hochul becomes New York state’s
fi rst female governor following Gov. Andrew
Cuomo’s resignation, she cited the need for
more funding saying it will “take all of us —
the city, state and federal governments as well
as vital community partners — to fi ght anti-
Asian hate crimes and secure a brighter, safer
future for the Asian American community in
New York state.”
New York State Attorney General Letitia
James said the continued acts of hate and violence
against the Asian American community
is “unacceptable and antithetical” to everything
they represent.
“No individual should be treated any differently
or have to live in fear because of who
they are, what they look like or where they
come from, period. Hate will never be tolerated
in our state, and we will do everything
in our power to ensure that New Yorkers
are safe and protected in their communities,”
James said. “My offi ce will continue to
take action against hate and discrimination
of any kind, and I thank the Asian American
Federation for their shared commitment in
this eff ort.”
James is encouraging everyone to
remain vigilant and to report
any discriminatory acts
to her offi ce at 800-
771-7755.
AG indicts former Queens cop on murder charges
BY JULIA MORO
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
New York Attorney General Letitia
James announced the indictment of former
Queens NYPD Offi cer Errick Allen aft er he
allegedly shot and killed his friend in 2020.
Allen is charged with murder in the second
degree, manslaughter in the fi rst degree
and menacing in the second degree.
Allen, 28, was off -duty when he killed
Christopher Curro, who was 25 at the time
of his death, in Farmingdale, Nassau County.
“We trust our police toprotect the safety
of New Yorkers, but instead, this defendant
allegedly betrayed that duty and used
his service weapon to end another man’s
life,” James said. “My offi ce is committed to
ensuring justice is served and that no individual
is above the law.”
According to the attorney general’s offi ce,
Allen and Curro were longtime friends who
both lived in Nassau County.
On May 12, 2020, around 8 p.m. in a residential
neighborhood, Allen allegedly shot
Curro fi ve times at close range. Curro was
unarmed. Allen initially fl ed the scene but
returned later in the evening.
Allen had been a police offi cer
for seven months assigned to the
109th Precinct in Queens. Th e
NYPD suspended and later terminated
him aft er the alleged
murder.
Allen was arraigned on
Aug. 20 before Judge Francis
Ricigliano of the Nassau
County Court. Allen is due
back in court on Sept. 23,
2021.
Photo via Shutterstock
Photo courtesy of AAF
Joo-Ann Yoo, executive director of the Asian American Federation, speaks at a press conference in Manhattan on Thursday, Aug. 19, denouncing the
recent attacks against three Asian Americans in New York City.
/WWW.QNS.COM
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