TORRANCE (CNS) - Hundreds of people gathered in a Torrance park today for a group workout and community demonstration in opposition to a racist rant caught on video earlier this week aimed at an Asian-American woman who was exercising in the park.
The Friday morning demonstration featured hundreds of participants dressed largely in black, in response to a comment made by the unidentified woman during her Wednesday rant at Wilson Park on Crenshaw Boulevard.
“I was shocked because I run at this park probably four times a week,'' one of the demonstrators told ABC7 about her response to the video of the confrontation that has since gone viral. “And to see that so close to home, I was like, wow, it's really happening near me.''
On the video, the unidentified white, older woman in sunglasses and a sun hat verbally accosts a young woman who was exercising at the park. The younger woman was using her cell phone to video her workout, and she captured the rant that began when she allegedly bumped into the older woman as she came down some stairs.
“Go back to whatever (expletive) Asian country you belong in,'' the woman yelled. “... This is not your place. This is not your home. We do not want you here.''
On Thursday, an Asian man posted video online showing him being accosted by the same woman, apparently on the same day because the woman was wearing the same clothing.
“You need to go home,'' the woman tells the man.
On that video, the man photographs the woman's license plate. KTLA5 reported that a man at the home linked to the plate claimed he had a restraining order out against the woman on the video.
Torrance police have said they are aware of the confrontations.
Participants in Friday morning's demonstration at Wilson Park said they wanted to show that the community rejects the woman's words and actions.
“It's nice to see there's people out there, good people that find this wrong,'' one participant told Channel 7. “It's a public park so we should just keep the peace, and it's nice to see people who want to keep that peace.''