Photo: Megan Varner / Getty Images
A diverse crowd gathered in a park in front of the Georgia Capitol on Saturday to demand justice for the victims of the massage parlor shootings that occurred days before and to denounce racism, xenophobia and misogyny .
The hundreds of people of all ages and various racial and ethnic backgrounds who gathered at Liberty Plaza in Atlanta, waved signs and cheered for speakers, including Senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff and Georgia State Representative Bee Nguyen.
. @ SenatorWarnock and I addressed today’s rally in Atlanta to mourn the victims of this week’s massacre and to express our love and support for the Asian-American community in Georgia and nationwide. Gratitude to the organizers. pic.twitter.com/kG6GMju7wz
– Jon Ossoff (@ossoff) March 20, 2021
“I just wanted to stop by to tell you to my Asian brothers and sisters: ‘We see you and most importantly, we are going to be with you,’ “Warnock said to cheers and against the backdrop of drivers in passing cars, honking in support. . “We’re all in this together.”
Robert Aaron Long, from 21 years, a white man, is accused of killing four people inside two spas of Atlanta and four others in a massage business to some 30 miles (50 miles) away in suburban Cherokee County .
Six of the eight people killed on Tuesday were women from Asian descent. Another person was also shot, but survived.
Investigators have said that Long confessed to the murders, but who claimed they were not racially motivated. He said he had a sex addiction that made him lash out at what he considered sources of temptation, according to authorities.
Police have said they are still working to establish a motive, including investigating whether the attacks can be classified as hate crimes.