A group of Chinese tourists in front of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. – CHINA NEW / SIPA
Launched in the United States, the hashtag #StopAsianHate takes more and more importance in France, this Wednesday. Anti-Asian violence has steadily increased since the start of the coronavirus epidemic, with some blaming the outbreak on the Chinese community, according to a US report.
Latest example, last Tuesday in New York. A 52-year-old Asian American woman was assaulted outside a bakery by a man who pushed her to the ground. The victim received ten stitches in the head. A few hours later, American actress Olivia Munn, friend of the victim’s daughter, posted a message on social networks, denouncing the assault.
The case is far from isolated. According to New York police data, revealed by the Queens Chronicle, hate crimes against people of Asian origin increased by 1,900% in 2020. For its part, the Stop AAPI Hate site, which identifies racist, violent or discriminatory acts against the Asian community, received 2,808 testimonies in 47 American states between March and December.
A hashtag that is growing in France
And France is no exception given the many messages, accompanied by the hashtag #StopAsianHate, posted on social networks, denouncing discrimination, racism and violence against Asians.
I was at the bus stop and a guy pointing his finger at me shouting “coronavirus” and the worst part is that everyone started to back up I was shocked, I came home I was crying ????#StopAsianHate
– ???????? (@bby__sslm) February 23, 2021
Working in a Chinese restaurant means hearing “ching chong” “there are no dogs on the menu ?? »« Ah she doesn’t have an accent that one »« you all look alike anyway »and all that from people who think they are funny #StopAsianHate
– Me (@vennylol) February 24, 2021
– Stop trivializing it
– Educate yourself and your kids
– Chinetoque, grain of rice, bowl of rice & Coronavirus are not “nicknames” but humiliating insults
– Asia is not just about China
– Imitating the Asian accent is no funThank you. #StopAsianHate
— Margaux Maekelberg ???? (@marg_oh) February 24, 2021
The “ching-chong”, “do you make iphone?”, “Do you eat rice all the time?” , “bondour”, miming slanted eyes etc, it’s not at all funny, it’s racism, just like what other minorities are subjected to.#StopAsianHate
– Dragovich. (@ marisule26) February 23, 2021
Already in January 2020, as the epidemic hit China and slowly began to spread in Europe, the hashtag #JeNeSuisPasUnVirus appeared on social networks in France. Insults, violence, discrimination … Thousands of French people of Asian origin had told of having been victims of uninhibited racism, the panic of the virus having released a violent anti-Asian feeling.
Donald Trump’s responsibility pointed out
In the United States, the wave of racism has reached the United States Congress. Last Friday, several American elected officials, including Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House, alerted to the increase in these incidents.
Judy Chu, California Representative and Chair of the Asian-Pacific Congressional US Caucus said the Asian-American community had “reached a point of crisis that cannot be ignored.” “What started as sidelong glances and verbal assaults turned into physical attacks and violence,” she added. Some elected officials did not fail to declare that the former president, Donald Trump, also had his share of responsibility, by designating China as responsible for the coronavirus epidemic.
:quality(75)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/elcomercio/WALJ6KER2VGHTFHGUQWVRCZR7A.jpg)
:quality(75)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/elcomercio/PNHCCWBID5HAZEHDRKZP2P5RWI.jpg)
:quality(75)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/elcomercio/SB5UJJHKCRAPBMQHJUTR6FAPRI.jpg)
