The Atlanta Mass Shootings…We Saw This Coming

For the past year, The Harris Poll has been tracking awareness and concern about the surge in hate crimes against Asian Americans, and today our data finally shows a shift in public awareness and concern.

• Over two thirds (67%) of the public and (74%) of Asian Americans believe that the Atlanta shootings were a turning point in the conversation around discrimination towards Asian Americans.
• Rise in Concern: Last year, less than 6 in 10 (59%) of Americans were concerned about the hate towards Asian Americans related to the pandemic. Now, over three quarters (76%) are concerned, including (82%) of Asian Americans.
• A Community in Pain: Nearly 7 in 10 Asian Americans (69%) are worried about their family being physically or verbally attacked due to the anti-Asian hate and nearly 3 in 10 (29%) mentioned they would be less vocal because of fear.
• A Community That Will Not be Silenced:  Two-thirds (64%) of Asian Americans said the recent attacks have made them want to become more vocal against racism and (65%) stated they needed to organize protests to bring more awareness to these injustices to racial minorities.  Last weekend the AAPI community along with Americans of all races and colors participated in rallies across the U.S. to condemn attacks against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
• In a separate poll we conducted with the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF), we look at details how Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) women have been significantly affected by anti-Asian racism and xenophobia in the United States in a survey conducted before the tragedy in Atlanta.

A wake up call: (58%) of Americans say this First event to bring real attention to the recent anti-Asian discrimination happening in America, including (68%) of Asian-Americans and (58%) of White Americans.

Americans view the shootings as a hate crime. Two-thirds (66%) of Americans consider the Atlanta murders to be a racially motivated hate crime, including (77%) of Asian Americans, (77%) of Hispanics, (70%) of Black Americans, (64%) of White Americans. There is a partisan split, with (79%) of Democrats vs only (53%) of Republicans saying so.

Culminating in a tragedy: (72%) of both overall Americans and Asian Americans say “Asian Americans have been under attack the past few months and this is just the latest thing to heighten anxiety.” (80%) of Democrats and (63%) of Republicans agree.

The Atlanta tragedy shines a light on all discrimination and racism: (74%) of Americans as well as (71%) of Black Americans and (76%) of Asian Americans say “the tragedy has made me more empathetic towards other races suffering discrimination and racism.”

A turning point? (63%) of Americans, including (76%) of African Americans, (65%) of Asian Americans, and (60%) of White Americans say “we need to organize protests to bring awareness to injustices to racial minorities.

Takeaway: We will be looking deeper into this divide in our nation as part of our #AAPIdiscrimination series in the COVID-19 Tracker.

A wake up call: (58%) of Americans say this First event to bring real attention to the recent anti-Asian discrimination happening in America, including (68%) of Asian-Americans and (58%) of White Americans.

Americans view the shootings as a hate crime. Two-thirds (66%) of Americans consider the Atlanta murders to be a racially motivated hate crime, including (77%) of Asian Americans, (77%) of Hispanics, (70%) of Black Americans, (64%) of White Americans. There is a partisan split, with (79%) of Democrats vs only (53%) of Republicans saying so.

Culminating in a tragedy: (72%) of both overall Americans and Asian Americans say “Asian Americans have been under attack the past few months and this is just the latest thing to heighten anxiety.” (80%) of Democrats and (63%) of Republicans agree.

The Atlanta tragedy shines a light on all discrimination and racism: (74%) of Americans as well as (71%) of Black Americans and (76%) of Asian Americans say “the tragedy has made me more empathetic towards other races suffering discrimination and racism.”

A turning point? (63%) of Americans, including (76%) of African Americans, (65%) of Asian Americans, and (60%) of White Americans say “we need to organize protests to bring awareness to injustices to racial minorities.”

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