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Asian American advocates seek statement of solidarity after wave of burglaries in Eugene
Summary
Advocates on Oct. 20 asked Lane County commissioners to issue a statement of solidarity with Asian residents after speakers said about 21 homes with Asian occupants were burglarized in Eugene.
Speakers at the Oct. 20 public comment period urged the Lane County Board of County Commissioners to publicly support Asian residents following a series of burglaries that advocates said have targeted Asian households in Eugene.
What commenters said: Jencina Hawkins, who identified herself as a former Eugene Police Commission chair and the law enforcement liaison for the Asian American Council of Oregon, said news reports identified about 21 burglaries targeting homes with Asian occupants and urged the board to issue a public statement condemning targeted hate and to promote an AAPI and allies public‑safety forum on Thursday at the Korean Presbyterian Church in Eugene.
Board response: Commissioners said individually they support Asian neighbors and thanked Hawkins for raising the issue. Several commissioners asked staff to prepare a statement of solidarity for board consideration; one commissioner said they would prefer to hear more from the community forum Thursday before finalizing language, while others asked staff to draft a statement promptly.
Context: Hawkins said the forum would include the chiefs of police for Eugene and Springfield and District Attorney Christopher Perosa, and urged attendance. She told the board that some suspects arrested in Eugene posted bail and that the arrests and court process had left community members fearful.
Ending: Commissioners signaled support for a statement of solidarity and asked staff to prepare options for a board statement; no formal action or vote occurred at the meeting.
