Mass shooting brings heightened security, sadness to Bay Area Lunar New Year events
SAN FRANCISCO -- On Sunday, San Francisco's Chinatown community was all set to usher in the Year of the Rabbit but the happy festivities were marred by a mass shooting in Southern California.
Traditional Lunar New Year celebrations are usually pretty loud, with drums and cymbals and people lighting firecrackers on sidewalks but Sunday's event in San Francisco's Portsmouth Square actually began with a moment of silence, as requested by Mayor London Breed.
"Our hearts and our prayers go out to the families and the loved ones of those who were killed and those who were injured," she told a subdued crowd.
The targeted killings in Monterey Park have shaken the Bay Area community as well.
"That is another sister Chinese community," said Malcolm Yeung, director of the SF Chinese Chamber of Commerce. "From what I understand, the victims were all Chinese. We don't know the situation but it's a devastating and heart-breaking moment. With that said, I need to say this: we can't let hate conquer love."
Tradition says the Year of the Rabbit is marked by kindness and mercy. Benson Louie said there is a different feeling now. Louie is a member of Leung's White Crane Studio, the group that presented the morning's Dragon Dance. Louie says they've already had one cancellation as a result of the shock from the tragedy.
"It's a celebration of joy, a celebration of starting a new year and it's something that nobody expects to happen," Louie said. "A lot of people are on edge. They don't know what's going to happen. Hopefully, it's just an isolated incident."
This was supposed to be a moment of rebirth, not just for a new year, but for Chinatown in general. The business district was hit hard by hysteria over the pandemic so fear over gun violence is something no one here wants. At Sunday's Lunar New Year event, SFPD assistant chief David Lazar tried to reassure the community.
"We know that five men and five women died in that tragic incident 13 hours ago," he told the crowd. "I'm here today to tell you that we are going to make sure that we have a visible presence in the Chinese community and all throughout San Francisco in the coming weeks as we monitor what's happening. We will also make sure that we increase our presence during the parade and any public gathering. We will be there."
Despite the fact the shooting happened in a crowded environment, San Francisco resident Therese Liwanag said she still feels comfort in numbers.
"We're all just trying to celebrate together and we're all here for each other," she said. "So, I do feel safe right now."
The SFPD is asking the community to stay vigilant during the coming Lunar New Year activities. They want anyone who sees something that feels out of place to report it immediately to police.
