A report released by the nonprofit group Stop AAPI Hate (Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders) titled “Empowered/Imperiled: The Rise of South Asian Representation and Anti-South Asian Racism” highlights a significant increase in hate directed at South Asians in the US. It examines online hate in monitored extremist spaces from January 2023 to August 2024.

The report reveals a disturbing trend that coincides with the rising political presence of figures such as Indian-American Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Usha Vance, who is the wife of Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance.

KEY FINDINGS

Key findings from the report indicate a steady rise in anti-Asian hate in extremist online spaces during the specified period. Notably, South Asian communities were targeted the most, with 60% of anti-Asian slurs directed at them. The volume of anti-South Asian slurs doubled over the last year, rising from approximately 23,000 to over 46,000, with a peak in August 2024.

As of 2022, the United States was home to about 4.8 million Indian-Americans, according to data from the US Census Bureau. Indian Americans account for 20% of the nation’s Asian American population overall, according to Pew Research Center.

Stop AAPI Hate attributes this increase to a “toxic political climate”, noting that “a growing number of leaders and far-right extremist voices continue to spew bigoted political rhetoric and disinformation”.

August 2024 marked a particularly alarming period, as online threats of violence against Asian communities reached unprecedented levels.

There were 973 threats recorded in that month alone, representing a 17% increase from the previous six-month baseline. Of these threats, 75% targeted South Asian communities.

The increase in online threats toward Asian communities is outpacing other groups, with a 52% rise for Asians, 45% for Jewish communities, 14% for Black communities, and 10% for women.

The language found in extremist online spaces mirrors the hateful rhetoric used in offline attacks against South Asians.

Reports received by Stop AAPI Hate included harmful phrases such as “India is a slimy country”, “Go back to India”, “terrorist”, and “dirty Indians”, according to the report.