Philadelphia Bar Association Statement Condemning Violence Against the Asian Community

PHILADELPHIA, PA - March 19, 2021 - The Philadelphia Bar Association today released the following statement regarding the violence in the Asian community and our solidarity with the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Pennsylvania (APABA-PA):

"The Philadelphia Bar Association stands in solidarity with our colleagues and friends of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Pennsylvania in offering our condolences to the families, friends, and communities of the eight victims, including six members of the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, murdered in this week's shootings in metro Atlanta. We strongly condemn the rising tide of hate and violence against the AAPI community. The scale and frequency of targeted violence against communities of color is unacceptable. We urge law enforcement officials to hold persons who perpetuate this violence accountable for their actions and recognize these violent acts as the hate crimes they are.

"As the Philadelphia Bar Association strives to incorporate the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging into all areas of our association, we hold steadfast to the belief that our collective strength is rooted within our diversity. We encourage you to join us and attend the program, Discussion on The Rise in Hate Crimes Against Asian Pacific Americans, hosted by APABA-PA, the South Asian Bar Association of Philadelphia and the Governor's Advisory Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs."

The event is on next Thursday, March 25th at 7:30 pm and the registration can be found here.

The Philadelphia Bar Association, founded in 1802, is the preeminent metropolitan association of lawyers in the United States. It is a keystone in the ongoing developments of the Philadelphia and Pennsylvania legal systems. With more than 200 years of dedicated service to stand on, the Philadelphia Bar Association is firmly rooted in the Philadelphia community as a steady and reliable bellwether. To learn more about the association, visit here.