HOPKINTON, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) —The 2021 Boston Marathon isn’t happening until the fall -- but runners took to the same streets for a different cause on Saturday.
The New England Chinese American Alliance (NECAA) partnered with 35 other local organizations to host the 'Rally & Run To Stop Asian Hate' through several cities and towns on the marathon route -- including the race's start line in Hopkinton Town Common.
Haihong Li, who helped coordinate the rally, said organizers planned it to support the victims of the mass shooting in Atlanta, Georgia that left eight people dead -- including six Asian women.
"We are furious -- we want to do something to not only help the victims but call on the community," Li said. "We know it would be a long journey -- and Asian Americans are ready to stand up and to speak out."
Hundreds gathered with signs reading "Stop Asian Hate" and "Racism is a Virus, Love is the Cure." Many of those signs were then carried by runners who made their way through Ashland and into Framingham, to also protest a recent spike nationwide in hate crimes against the Asian-American and Pacific Islander community.
"There's a lot of work to do but seeing people coming around [to the rally], I see a lot of hope," Li said.
The cities and towns that participated include Hopkinton, Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, Brookline and Boston.
WBZ’s Matt Shearer (@MattWBZ) reports.
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Written by Rachel Armany
(Photo: Matt Shearer/WBZ NewsRadio)