Attorney General Lockyer Expresses Concern for Civil Rights

September 19, 2001
01-091
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(LOS ANGELES) – Attorney General Bill Lockyer today joined Los Angeles Sheriff Lee Baca, City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo and other law enforcement, religious and community leaders in urging Californians to not take out their anger over last week's terrorist attacks on innocent Arab and Muslim Americans.

"We all want to see justice for the deadly attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon last week, but in the war against terrorism our citizens must avoid terrorizing innocent individuals and communities in America with hate crimes," Lockyer said. "Arab and Muslim Americans are as much victims of the past week's barbarism as Americans of other ethnic backgrounds. We must come together at this time as Americans all and trust in the concerted efforts being taken to identify those responsible for the terrorist attacks and the justice being sought by the United States government."
Since last week's national tragedy, there have been increasing reports of the harassment of Arab Americans, Muslim Americans, Afghan Americans, Sikhs, South Asians and others mistaken for Arabs or Muslims. More than a handful of incidents are being investigated in Los Angeles, San Francisco and other California cities.

The Attorney General said the California Department of Justice is prepared to work with local law enforcement agencies to respond to acts of hate violence that might be committed in response to the horrific events of this week. Lockyer also praised religious and community groups working for unity and understanding in the aftermath of the national tragedy.

"Our state draws immense strength from its diversity of races, religions and cultures," Lockyer said. "We in California should not forget the lessons of over a half century ago when innocent Japanese Americans were targeted by hate mobs after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor. It was wrong then to vent anger against people simply for their ancestry, and it is wrong now to lash out against innocent Californians who are or appear to be of Middle Eastern descent."

The Attorney General also issued a pamphlet on "Preventing Hate Crime" translated into Punjabi, Arabic and Hindi. The brochures in multiple languages are being made available to law enforcement agencies and at the Attorney General's web site: http://ag.ca.gov/civilrights/content/hatecrimes.htm.