
While there have been a number of rallies against anti-Asian violence across the United States in recent weeks, one held Sunday outside the San Francisco city hall advocated a more active approach to empowering the community by featuring numerous self-defense demonstrations. Organized by martial artist Hudson Liao, the "Asia Strong" event included performances by nine different schools including representatives of muay Thai, wing chun, krav maga, judo, jiu-jitsu and MMA.
Though various speakers at the event, including a retired superior court judge, discussed the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes, the demonstrations let people know there were resources available to make themselves feel safer. Fears among the U.S. Asian community have spiked recently in the wake of a mass shooting that targeted Asian women in Atlanta and several vicious attacks on people of Asian descent in New York and other cities.