San Jose Police Department Responds to Hate Crime, Seeks Public Help

"An attack against one person in our community is an attack against all of us." It's a common feeling among Not In Our Town leaders and it was also the message from San Jose City Councilwoman Rose Herrera, speaking at a press conference yesterday.

Herrera joined the San Jose, Calif. police chief in asking witnesses of a November hate crime to come forward. The police are seeking three men who attacked Atul Lall, an East Indian industrial designer, in a supermarket parking lot just before the Thanksgiving holiday. The press conference sought the public's help—announcing a $1,000 reward from Herrera's office—as well as reiterating its zero tolerance stance on hate crimes.

"As they were striking the victim with a bottle, it was obvious that the victim was of East Indian decent and they were yelling out and accusing him of being a terrorist," San Jose Police Sgt. Jason Dwyer said.

Lall suffered multiple injuries from the attack, which broke six of his teeth and his jaw.

NIOT activist Jesse Castaneda—a longtime advocate for Silicon Valley's immigrant community—attended tthe press conference. "The police department and the community have zero tolerance for hate crimes in the city," he said. "It was said that the East Indian community was the target, and that the perpetrators were Latino and Caucasian."

Castaneda has a history of bringing leaders together to create awareness around hate crimes. "I was glad that with such short notice that the police department was able to put this conference together and that the media and diverse members of the community responded."

For more information, see story, "New Reward in San Jose Hate Crime."

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San Jose Police Department Responds to Hate Crime, Seeks Public Help

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