Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg on Monday announced an ambitious plan to revamp the office’s Hate Crimes Unit amid a spike in bias attacks against Asian Americans and other groups.

Bragg is seeking $1.6 million from the city to hire new staffers and expand the specialized team, which is currently investigating and prosecuting 88 cases, 27 of which involve crimes against victims of Asian descent.

“New Yorkers of all backgrounds deserve to feel safe in Manhattan,” Bragg said in a statement. “My Office’s expanded Hate Crimes Unit will not only investigate and prosecute hate crimes, but provide outreach and advocacy that helps victims heal and addresses root causes.”

The 61 other alleged hate crimes being prosecuted by the Manhattan DA include 25 anti-LGBTQ hate crime cases, 11 anti-black hate crime cases, 10 anti-Semitic hate crime cases and six anti-white hate crime cases. 

The open cases include unprovoked violent attacks, spitting incidents and anti-Semitic graffiti. One disturbing case from last month involves a homeless man who allegedly battered seven Asian American women during a two-hour rampage in Midtown. 

Bias attacks against Asian Americans have skyrocketed in New York City and around the country since the beginning of the pandemic. The NYPD reported a 900 percent surge in anti-Asian crimes, from three in 2019 to 30 in 2020. 

Hate crimes overall were up 16 percent in March from the same time last year, with attacks against LGBTQ New Yorkers up a whopping 233 percent, according to NYPD data.

Bragg hopes to hire additional staffers to the new and improved Hate Crimes Unit including Mandarin, Cantonese or Korean speakers.

The team is currently headed by full-time investigative analyst Chief Hannah Yu and Bragg plans to hire two full-time deputy chiefs, multiple specially trained assistant DAs, as well as analysts, victim services staff members and community partnership coordinators.

The DA’s Office is actively recruiting for the positions of deputy chief, AAPI counselor, and LGBTQIA+ victim service advocate. The other positions will be posted as soon as funding is secured.

The Manhattan DA testified before the City Council in March to plead for the funding. 

“Combating hate crimes is a shared priority for my Office, the New York City Council, and the Mayor’s Office, and I’m hopeful we will receive the funding we need to combat the surge in hate crimes,” he said Monday.