Pomona council condemns hate crimes, acts of violence toward minorities

Pomona leaders have adopted a resolution condemning hate crimes and any other form of racism, religious or ethnic bias, discrimination, incitement of violence and targeting a minority.

Spurred by the local group Compassionate Pomona in response to continued increases in violent acts and hate crimes toward minorities, the resolution reaffirms the city’s “commitment to compassion, equitable treatment and the condemnation of hate, racism and other acts of violence toward minorities,” according to a staff report prepared for the City Council.

The decision this month to publicly denounce such acts comes two years after Pomona councilmembers adopted a similar resolution condemning violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities and hate and xenophobia against all persons.

Included in the latest resolution is the acknowledgment that while Pomona is not immune to untoward incidents, “the Pomona City Council wishes to promote an atmosphere of acceptance, tolerance, compassion, and mutual respect in the community.”

Pomona follows nearby Claremont in sending such a message, the latter doing so in February after flyers targeting the Jewish community were circulated around town.

A few months earlier, the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations reported a 23% increase in hate crimes in 2021 over the previous year, the highest number of such acts in 19 years.