Figures show an increase in anti-Asian hate crimes nationwide, but some worry Chicago’s low numbers stem from lack of reporting
CHICAGO — On a recent rainy Saturday afternoon, Chi Chan sat attentively in a pew of a Chinatown church he’s been a part of for some 15 years and listened to Chicago police Officer Jason Sollis give tips on public safety. Chan was there, he said, because crime has gotten so bad in the community that he is afraid to have his parents, who are in their 70s, come to Chinatown.
Across the country, COVID-19 acted as a catalyst for increased aggression toward Asian American communities after the coronavirus was first reported in China over two years ago. Chicago seemed to have far fewer reported hate crimes than other major cities, like Los Angeles or New York City, but residents in Chinatown say numbers don’t tell the full story.
“Anytime there’s a crisis and you can attribute it to a certain ethnic group, I
