OKC cop walks free after slamming cancer-stricken senior to ground
Plus: Rising hate in "Trump's America," SF's new mayor celebrates in Chinatown, a sharp rise in alcohol-related deaths, and why your tea might contain plastic.
Rebel Yellow Issue #12: A New Year, Ongoing Stories
Welcome to Rebel Yellow Issue #12! As the first week of 2025 unfolds, we continue to bring you the stories shaping our communities and the world around us.
In this issue:
Charges Dropped: The Oklahoma Attorney General’s decision to dismiss charges against a police officer who injured a cancer-stricken elderly Asian man sparks outrage and debate.
Hate in “Trump’s America”: A Pacific Islander journalist’s violent encounter highlights the rising dangers of racially motivated attacks.
Leadership in Chinatown: San Francisco’s new mayor, Daniel Lurie, celebrates his inauguration by centering the AAPI community.
A Sobering Crisis: The sharp rise in alcohol-related deaths among Asian Americans calls for urgent attention to public health.
What’s in Your Tea? A study reveals billions of plastic particles may be lurking in your daily cup of tea.
As we step into the new year, these stories remind us of the ongoing challenges and opportunities to push for change. Let’s make 2025 a year of progress, action, and resilience!
Charges dropped against OKC cop who slammed cancer-stricken senior to the ground
Oklahoma Atty. Gen. Gentner Drummond has dismissed an aggravated assault and battery charge against Oklahoma City Police Sgt. Joseph Gibson, who is accused of using excessive force on an elderly Asian man on Oct. 27.
Catch up: The altercation began after Gibson stopped Lich Vu, 71, for an alleged illegal U-turn following a minor traffic collision. Body camera footage shows Vu refusing to sign the citation and exiting his car. During a heated exchange, Vu, who has bone cancer and is about 5”4 tall and weighs up to 135 pounds, made contact with Gibson’s vest, prompting the officer to twist Vu’s arm and slam him to the ground. Vu suffered severe injuries — including a brain bleed and fractures — requiring hospitalization and surgery. His family reported memory loss and swallowing difficulties due to the injuries.
What the AG is saying
Drummond, who took over the case from Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Behenna, justified his decision by stating Gibson acted in accordance with police training and lacked criminal intent.
“While the outcome of this incident is unquestionably devastating for Mr. Vu and his family, I do not believe the officer exhibited criminal intent,” Drummond said. He stressed the importance of compliance with police instructions and refraining from physical contact, regardless of language or cultural barriers.
“The simple truth is, this unfortunate incident never would have occurred if Mr. Vu had kept his hands to himself,” Drummond added.
The Oklahoma City Police Department is conducting an internal investigation into Gibson’s actions, which could result in non-criminal disciplinary measures.
Reactions: The Oklahoma City Fraternal Order of Police supported the dismissal, arguing Gibson followed his training. Behenna, on the other hand, expressed disappointment at the attorney general’s intervention. Vu’s family and the Vietnamese American Community of Oklahoma have not commented on the decision.
Pacific Islander journalist in Colorado strangled by man who invoked "Trump's America"
On Dec. 18, 2024, Ja'Ronn Alex, a television news reporter of Pacific Islander descent, was attacked outside his news station by a man who allegedly questioned his citizenship and made xenophobic remarks.
“Trump’s America”: Police say Patrick Thomas Egan, 39, was driving a taxi cab, first encountered Alex at a stoplight in Delta, Colorado, aggressively questioned Alex's citizenship, shouting, "This is Trump's America now! I'm a Marine and I took an oath to protect this country from people like you!" Fearing for his safety, Alex alerted his manager and returned to his news station, KKCO/KJCT in Grand Junction. Egan pursued him for 40 miles and attacked him in the station's parking lot, tackling and strangling him until station employees intervened.
About the victim: Alex, a 22-year-old Detroit native, told authorities that the attack was racially motivated, noting that he believes he was targeted because of his Pacific Islander heritage. Surveillance footage and witness accounts corroborate Alex’s claims, with bystanders noting that he appeared to struggle for breath during the assault. He is currently recovering from the incident and has since returned to work.
About the alleged attacker: Egan, who is being held at the Mesa County Jail on a $20,000 bond, was officially charged with second-degree assault, harassment and bias-motivated crimes on Dec. 28. If convicted on the assault charge alone, he faces up to six years in prison.
Broader context: This attack highlights the growing threat of racially motivated violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing anti-immigrant rhetoric. Data from the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism shows hate crimes in major U.S. cities rose 16% in 2023, with AAPI individuals disproportionately affected. According to a 2023 poll by AAPI Data and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, 1 in 3 AAPIs experienced racism, including verbal harassment, slurs, physical threats and cyberbullying.
Community reaction: The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) condemned the attack, describing it as an example of the dangers faced by journalists of color. “This act of violence underscores the ongoing threats to individuals from marginalized communities, fueled by racist and anti-immigrant rhetoric,” the organization said in a statement. AAJA went on to call for newsrooms to support AAPI journalists and those experiencing discrimination.
San Francisco’s new mayor is taking power in Chinatown
San Francisco Mayor-elect Daniel Lurie will mark his inauguration next week with festivities reflecting a commitment to the city’s AAPI community. After being sworn in at City Hall on Jan. 8 at 11:30 a.m., Lurie will head to Chinatown for an evening celebration, which will include a banquet at the historic Far East Cafe and a lively night market on Grant Avenue.
The banquet, hosted by a coalition of eight organizations, has reportedly sold out all 80 tables. The Chinatown night market, running from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., will feature 20 vendors, live music and festivities open to the public.
Why Chinatown?
Lurie’s choice of Chinatown for his inaugural celebration underscores the growing influence of the city’s AAPI communities. Asian Americans, the largest non-white racial group in San Francisco, played a pivotal role in the city’s fiercely contested mayoral election.
Although Chinatown precincts largely favored rival candidate and Board President Aaron Peskin, Lurie secured the most first-choice votes in majority-Asian precincts citywide, according to election analysis. His campaign was the only one to open an office in Chinatown, emphasizing the neighborhood’s symbolic importance.
Campaign promises and first moves
Lurie’s remarks during his inaugural events are expected to echo his campaign themes of restoring safety, economic vitality, and trust in local government. His Nov. 8 victory speech, delivered in Chinatown’s St. Mary’s Square, promised bold action on issues like public safety, housing and bureaucracy reform.
“Our mandate is to show how government must deliver on its promises: clean and safe streets for all; tackling our drug and behavioral health crisis; shaking up the corrupt and ineffective bureaucracy; building enough housing so our neighbors can afford to live here; supporting our small businesses; and breathing life back into our downtown,” he said at the time.
Lurie has pledged that at least 37% of his administration will comprise Asian Americans, reflecting the group’s proportion in the city’s population. He recently appointed former San Francisco Police Commander Paul Yep as the city’s first-ever chief of public safety.
Unity for the future
Lurie’s choice of Jan. 8 — a date symbolizing unity and prosperity in Chinese culture — reflects his message of hope for San Francisco’s future. Mark Young, co-chair of the Chinatown banquet and co-founder of nonprofit Stand With Asians, called the event a “historic display of unity.”
“Mayor-elect Lurie is honoring the Chinese American and AAPI community, who played a pivotal role in getting him into office,” Young said, as per the San Francisco Chronicle.
As the city welcomes its new mayor, many in the community are optimistic. “He’s not in it for the money, but because he loves the city,” Shirletha Holmes-Boxx, a community organizer for nonprofit Greenaction, told the Voice of San Francisco.
Asian Americans face sharp rise in alcohol-related deaths
Alcohol-related deaths in the U.S. have surged dramatically over the past two decades, with Asian Americans seeing the steepest increase among all racial and ethnic groups. The trend was highlighted in a recent study by researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s Schmidt College of Medicine.
Key findings
Unprecedented rise: Alcohol-related death rates among AAPIs increased 2.4-fold from 1999 to 2020, outpacing other racial and ethnic groups.
Underlying conditions: Factors such as rising rates of overweight and obesity, which are prevalent in the country, may exacerbate the health risks associated with alcohol consumption.
Intersectional vulnerabilities: Women, already disproportionately affected by mental health challenges, may be especially at risk as alcohol consumption grows across gender lines.
Demographic insights:
By age: Adults aged 55 to 64 reported the highest number of alcohol-related deaths, while younger adults (25 to 34) experienced a nearly fourfold increase in mortality rates, the sharpest spike among all age groups.
By gender: While men continue to die at higher rates, women saw a 2.5-fold increase, reflecting changing social norms and targeted marketing by the alcohol industry.
Regional variations: The Midwest recorded the largest regional increase in alcohol-related deaths, with rates rising 2.5 times over the study period. This was followed by significant increases in the Northeast, West and South.
The pandemic effect: The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated alcohol consumption across the board. Heightened anxiety, economic uncertainty and social isolation drove increases in heavy and binge drinking, which persisted well into 2022. Local policies that eased alcohol sales during the pandemic may have further fueled this rise.
The AAPI experience: Cultural attitudes, stigma and systemic neglect may have compounded the risks for AAPIs. Historically, Asian Americans have been underrepresented in studies on alcohol-related health outcomes, potentially leading to gaps in awareness and healthcare provision.
The alarming rise in alcohol-related deaths among AAPIs is a stark reminder of the need for nuanced and inclusive public health strategies. “Addressing these factors through tailored interventions could help combat the growing U.S. alcohol mortality epidemic,” said Panagiota “Yiota” Kitsantas, senior author of the study.
Tea bags found to release billions of plastic particles per cup
Tea drinkers may be unknowingly ingesting billions of microscopic plastic particles with every cup, according to a new study published in Chemosphere. Researchers from Spain, Germany and Egypt discovered that commercial tea bags, especially those made of plastic, release substantial amounts of micro- and nanoplastics (MNPLs) into hot water during steeping.
A sip of microplastics
The researchers tested nylon-6, polypropylene and cellulose tea bags, discovering that polypropylene leached the most particles (1.2 billion per milliliter), followed by cellulose (135 million/ml) and nylon-6 (8.18 million/ml).
Polypropylene is commonly used in tea bags to seal their edges and maintain their shape when placed in hot water. Cellulose, derived from wood pulp, is favored for its ability to allow tea to infuse effectively, while nylon is often used in pyramid-shaped sachets designed to enhance brewing by providing more space for tea leaves to expand. The amount of plastic used in tea bags is generally small and varies between manufacturers.
Plastic in the digestive system
The study found that mucus-producing cells in the gut — part of the body’s natural protective barrier — tend to accumulate more plastic particles than other cell types. These particles are capable of penetrating cell membranes and even reaching cell nuclei, where they could potentially disrupt genetic material.
The researchers explained that the polymer composition of MNPLs may lead to diverse effects on organs, tissues and cells and may cause long-term health risks, including genotoxicity and carcinogenicity. Previous studies have also linked microplastics in the gut to conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other gastrointestinal disorders.
The bigger picture
Tea, long celebrated for its health benefits, is one of the world’s most widely consumed beverages. Drinking the beverage is deeply integrated into daily life in countries like China, India and Turkey, where billions of cups are enjoyed annually.
The study adds to growing evidence of microplastic contamination in food and beverages. Similar research has shown that high heat — such as that used in brewing tea or microwaving plastic containers — intensifies the release of plastic particles.
Moving toward a solution
The study’s authors emphasized the urgent need for stricter regulations and innovative approaches to food packaging. Consumers are also urged to opt for loose-leaf tea or plastic-free, biodegradable tea bags.
“As plastic usage in food packaging continues to rise, addressing MNPL contamination is essential to ensuring food safety and protecting consumer health,” the researchers stated.
Biodegradable alternatives, including tea bags made from abaca fibers or cornstarch, are becoming increasingly popular among leading brands, which have already introduced compostable, plastic-free options.