U.S. Los Angeles investigates random attacks against Asian passengers on metro

LOS ANGELES, June 5 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Los Angeles County authorities said investigations were being conducted after videos emerged on social media showing innocent Asian passengers were slapped in their faces on the local metro system.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority said in a statement Friday that it on June 3 took note of the Instagram video recording at least two Asian riders were separately attacked.

The authority said it was working to gather more information about exactly when and where the assault occurred, and who filmed the footage, adding investigators would determine if the victims were singled out because of their race and the possibility that the incidents constitute hate crimes.

"Metro has a zero-tolerance policy for any acts of violence against customers or employees. We strongly and unequivocally condemn any offenses done in the name of race, religion, sex or national origin," the agency's CEO, Stephanie Wiggins, said in the statement.

Blake Chow, deputy chief of the Los Angeles Police Department's Transit Services Bureau, was quoted by the local KTLA 5 news channel as saying that detectives were collecting proofs like what somebody heard on a train or something the suspects said to the victims.

Metro said it was also running a "Stop Asian Hate" campaign that includes advertisements on its buses and trains.