Organizations speak up about hate crime after Plano woman arrested for yelling racial slurs
PLANO, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - Esmeralda Upton, of Plano, has bonded out of jail after being caught on camera threatening and physically attacking a group of Indian American women in a Plano restaurant parking lot on Wednesday.
On Thursday night, organizations with ties to the local Indian community said what happened to the four women brings attention to a much bigger problem regarding hate.
"We had to speak up," victim Sabori Saha said. "We had to do what we had to do so that other people are safe in our society."
As police investigate the incident as a hate crime, Indian community leaders have been quick to condemn it and are relieved to see Upton charged with assault and making terroristic threats.
"The reality is that this incident really didn't just impact these four ladies but it impacted all south Asians," CAIR-Texas Executive Director Faizan Syed said.
They say sadly, the hate is not isolated.
The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, which provides nonpartisan analysis on global issues, recently conducted a survey that found one in two Indian Americans reported experiencing recent discrimination, usually based on their skin color.
"The incidents have increased in the past year or two years across the country and not just against Indian American but south Asian and Asian community," The Indian Association of North Texas President Urmeet Juneja said.
Just a few days ago, a group of people were caught on camera smashing a statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Queens, New York.
Vandalism also occurred here locally last year at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial of North Texas.
"It was desecrated last year around the 26th of January, which is the Republic Day of India,"Juneja said. "I believe people should definitely stand up against these crimes, especially the hate crimes and people should be more vocal about we being an inclusion of the society."
"Staying silent is not an option," victim Bidisha Rudra said. "Speak up, support each other and we need solidarity."