Aug 19, 2022 - Politics & Policy

Biden to host summit addressing hate-driven violence

Street memorials of flowers and candles and messages surround the Tops supermarket where a racist gunman murdered ten African Americans with an assault rifle, June 18, 2022

Street memorials of flowers and candles near the Tops supermarket in Buffalo on June 18. Photo: Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images

The Biden administration next month will host a summit aimed at countering "the corrosive effects of hate-fueled violence on our democracy and public safety," the White House announced Friday.

Why it matters: The summit, dubbed "United We Stand," is in response to a number of hate-fueled attacks during the Biden administration, including in Buffalo, where 10 Black people were killed in a mass shooting at a supermarket.

Driving the news: The event, which will include a bipartisan group of federal, state, and local officials, civil rights groups, business leaders and others, will feature a keynote address by President Biden.

  • "As President Biden said in Buffalo after the horrific mass shooting earlier this year, in the battle for the soul of our nation 'we must all enlist in this great cause of America,'" Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
  • "The United We Stand Summit will present an important opportunity for Americans of all races, religions, regions, political affiliations, and walks of life to take up that cause together."

The big picture: In addition to the mass shooting in Buffalo, there have been a number of hate-motivated crimes in Pittsburgh, El Paso, Atlanta and a number of other U.S. cities.

What to watch: The summit will take place on Sept. 15, when Biden will also "put forward a shared vision for a more united America," per the White House.

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