#TheyCantBurnUsAll Movement Makes Its Way to Los Angeles and San Francisco

September 9, 2020

Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to include that the #TheyCantBurnUsAll rally and march in San Francisco on Sept. 12 has been postponed due to hazardous air quality. A new date has yet to be determined, according to its organizers.

China Mac and William Lex Ham held their third #TheyCantBurnUsAll rally in Los Angeles on Sept. 5 over the long weekend.

The march happened at MacArthur Park between 6th St. and Park View at 3 p.m. and was posted to the rapper and actor’s social media accounts as well as their newly formed Instagram account dedicated to the rallies, @theycantburnusall.

In an interview with Dion Lim at ABC7 News, Mac and Ham talked about the importance of their slogan and how although “They Can’t Burn Us All” originally formed due to the infamous incident in July where an elderly Asian woman was set on fire in Brooklyn, it has since evolved into a rallying cry for not just “pan-Asian unity, but unity amongst all people against hate crimes and racism.”

“We haven’t had any voices that are really fighting these hate crimes. Voices that are loud enough. You’ve done such an incredible work Dion,” Ham continued. “Benny at NextShark have [sic] been putting together a lot of the hate crimes, but we haven’t seen our people rally together or a call to rally.”

“When we fight, we need to fight together,” Mac said. “This is a people’s movement.”

In this rally, following the previous two in New York on Aug. 1 and Aug. 15, Mac and Ham were joined by more than a hundred people in a sweltering above 100-degree weather, Hong Lee (@mama_dolee), a LA resident who was verbally harassed at El Taurino restaurant in August, told NextShark. Lee was present and one of the speakers for the event.

Although Lee and her husband were hesitant at first because they wanted to keep their privacy, they ultimately decided to share the video.

Lee told NextShark she spoke up for three reasons: (1) to address the increase in hate crimes against Asians since the pandemic started; (2) “bring awareness” for her two baby boys, “[wanting] them to be able to grow up in a world where hatred is not the norm;” (3) “[taking] a stance for those” who shared their attacks and “no one listened to their story.”

The second California rally, which was originally planned for Sept. 12 in San Francisco, was postponed for safety reasons.

As Ham said in his Instagram post, they expected “an incredible experience” because of SF’s “rich history of activism.”

The first California rally was held before the 13-year-old suspects behind the July 14 burning were arrested and subsequently charged with third-degree assault on Tuesday.

Featured Image Screenshot via @willlexham (left), Hong Lee (right)

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