Coronavirus Scare Sparks Racism? Instances of Asians Getting Attacked and Mocked Go Viral on Social Media
The hostility towards the Asians reportedly has increased ever since COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, China, last year. Lately, many instances of Asians getting attacked and mocked has gone viral on social media, revealing the coronavirus scare that sparked racism.
The Novel Coronavirus has been the topic of global conversation as the number of cases is increasing, causing mass hysteria and worldwide panic. The travel industry continues to be devastated by the virus as travellers have growing concerns over flying. Governments and companies are taking necessary precautions to ensure that the infection does not spread further. While the panic about a sudden and deadly virus is expected, deep-seated xenophobia is quite not. The hostility towards the Asians reportedly has increased ever since COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, China, last year. Lately, many instances of Asians getting attacked and mocked has gone viral on social media, revealing the coronavirus scare that sparked racism. Iranian Doctors And Nurses Dance in Hospitals to Keep Up The Spirits During Coronavirus Outbreak.
1. Indian-Origin Woman Got Beaten in the UK
An Indian-origin woman, a trainee lawyer in the United Kingdom, was reportedly beaten by an unidentified man after she tried to save her Chinese friend from racist attack over coronavirus. The incident happened last week. The attacker allegedly said, “Take your f****** coronavirus back home!”
2. East Asian Student Attacked in the UK
A 23-year-old Singapore man of Chinese ethnicity, studying in London revealed on Facebook about racially aggravated assault linked to the coronavirus. In the Facebook post, Jonathan Mok detailed how he was attacked by a group of people on Oxford Street, a busy shopping area in the centre of the British capital on February 24, 2020. The attack caused an injury to his right eye. “The guy who tried to kick me then said, ‘I don’t want your coronavirus in my country,’ before swinging another sucker punch at me, which resulted in my face exploding with blood (from my nose),” he wrote. UNICEF 'Hand-Washing Dance' Video Goes Viral Amid Coronavirus Outbreak.
3. Asian Woman Confronts to Racial Slur
The Asian woman who goes by the Twitter handle @princessmin_c uploaded a short video, of her interaction with a white woman on a train, who assumed she has the coronavirus. In the clip, the woman can be seen sitting on the train across from Min, who is recording the interaction. The woman was covering her mouth with a scarf and mumbles incoherently, and Min continues to ask her if she has a problem. At the end of the video, the woman can be seen, getting up from the seat, still covering her mouth and continuing to mumble.
These are a few instances that exhibit the type of discrimination Asian people are facing as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. According to the latest report, the COVID-19 has infected more than 95,000 people and killed at least 3,300 worldwide. Twenty-nine cases are confirmed in India prompting concerns that the world’s second-most populous country could face a serious outbreak of the virus.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 05, 2020 06:23 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).