A new mural dedicated at Don Knabe Park in the Los Angeles-area city of Cerritos became reality after an anti-Asian hate incident there, reports the Press Telegram.
The idea came after an assault on an elderly Filipino American man in June.
“This park was the site of a vicious attack,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “Right here in Cerritos, right here in a county park.
According to Spectrum News 1, a man approached Cesar Echano and his wife on their walk in the park and began harassing them.
“He told me, ‘You don’t belong here and go back to your country.’ he started yelling a lot of profanity,” Echano said.
The couple did their best to ignore the man, but he followed them even as they entered their car. The assailant opened the car door and punched Echano.
“I just saw fists,” he said. “It happened so quickly. I tried reaching for my phone to take a picture of him, but I couldn’t get to it.”
Echano attended the dedication of the mural Friday.
“Seeing this mural,” he added, “I feel good and I feel strong,” he told the Press Telegram.
The mural is by artist MariNaomi.
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