The Bay Area Council, along with a coalition of more than 100 Asian American Pacific Islander groups and others, on Wednesday, formally asked California Governor Gavin Newsom to deploy California Highway Patrol across the BART system to address recent instances of violence. This comes after some recent high-profile instances of violence on or around the BART system.
"Asians make up 25% of BART riders, making it a vital lifeline that must be safeguarded. Deploying more safety patrols is a critical short-term step to restore safety and trust while working toward lasting solutions," said Mark Young, co-founder of Stand With Asians. According to polling by the Council, ridership suffers from concerns about safety.