More than 200 people gathered on Washington Square Park to rally in support Asian community, against hate crime and white nationalism. Rally was organized by loosely decentralized movements of ANTIFA (anti-fascist) and Abolitionist Community. In the wake of COVID-19 pandemic there was a big spike in hate crimes against people of Asian descent. Lev Radin/Getty Images The man, who has since been arrested, allegedly yelled racist remarks at the owners. Hate crimes against Asian Americans have been on the rise during the pandemic. A man used a metal post to trash an Asian American-owned convenience store while yelling racial slurs in Charlotte North Carolina, the Charlotte Observer reported.