SNS Campaign with Hashtag 'PrayForItaly'
Civilians Say "Asia Was Treated Like a Virus... Clear Racism"
Some Call for an End to Discrimination
Experts Warn "Exaggerated Media Reports Fuel Fear... Encourage Hate and Discrimination"
On the afternoon of the 2nd of last month, when concerns about the spread of the novel coronavirus infection were rising, passengers wearing masks were moving through Terminal 2 of Incheon Airport. Photo by Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ga-yeon] "Now that COVID-19 is spreading in Europe, people are saying 'Pray for Italy.' Isn't this racial discrimination?"
A university student A (22), currently living in the UK for language study, said, "They have no conscience after making hateful remarks and committing violence against Asians." She added, "COVID-19 is proving itself to be a tool to justify white people's racism."
As the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) spreads worldwide, the situation is worsening in Europe, including Italy and Germany. Italy recently recorded the second highest number of confirmed cases and deaths worldwide due to a rapid increase in cases. Following this news, a hashtag campaign 'Pray for Italy' started on social media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter.
However, in Korea, criticism arose calling this "clear racial discrimination." This is because white people are showing distinctly different attitudes toward the spread in Asia and in Europe. Citizens raised their voices, saying, "Before COVID-19 spread in Europe, they treated East Asians like viruses, creating an atmosphere that 'hate is acceptable,' but now that it is spreading in Europe and the US, they ask for sympathy."
In fact, as the COVID-19 situation worsened, hate crimes against East Asians occurred repeatedly.
In January, during a youth soccer match near Milan, an incident occurred where a player verbally abused a 14-year-old Chinese boy on the opposing team, saying, "I hope you get infected with the virus like people in China." In the UK, on the 3rd, a university student from Singapore was assaulted on the street. The victim reportedly heard insults related to 'COVID-19.'
On the 4th, in the Brooklyn area of New York, a black man sprayed disinfectant at an East Asian man, telling him to "go somewhere else." When the video of the incident spread on social media, Asian Americans raised their voices, demanding an end to racial discrimination. Vietnamese American actress Lana Condor quoted the video on her Twitter, criticizing, "This is very wrong. Don't just watch and film the video; intervene and say no."
On the 4th, in the subway of Brooklyn, New York, a Black man sprayed a chemical spray at an Asian man while shouting "Go somewhere else." Photo by Twitter screen capture
In France, as racial discrimination against East Asians intensified, hashtag campaigns emerged mainly on Twitter and other social media. East Asians living abroad posted messages with the hashtag '#JeNeSuisPasUnVirus' (I am not a virus) on their social media, urging an end to racial discrimination.
The French online media AJ Plus pointed out, "Since the outbreak of COVID-19, racial discrimination against Asians has increased in France."
Voices calling for an end to racial discrimination against Asian Americans also came from the US political sphere. Senator Dianne Feinstein issued a statement on the 3rd, saying, "Racism against Asian Americans is rising because the virus is associated with China. This is an immoral act and not the direction the US should take."
Experts analyzed that exaggerated media reports that incite fear have fueled racial discrimination against East Asians.
Professor Park No-ja of the Korean Studies Department at the University of Oslo, Norway, appeared on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' on the 13th of last month and said, "(Currently in Europe) it would be accurate to say 'a frenzy of hate and racism is dancing,' meaning all Asians are seen as potential carriers, which is a racist frenzy."
Professor Park pointed to fear-inducing reports from the US as the cause of this phenomenon. He said, "Many US news reports exaggerated the situation, and European conservative media intentionally overinterpreted those parts. Domestic conservative media that engage in fear marketing also played a significant role."
Meanwhile, Italy surpassed 10,000 cumulative confirmed cases on the 10th, just 18 days after the first local infection case was confirmed in Lombardy in the north on the 21st of last month. According to the Italian health authorities on the 13th, as of 6 p.m., 2,547 new confirmed cases were added compared to the previous day, bringing the total to 17,660. Among the confirmed patients that day, 250 died, bringing the total death toll to 1,266.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
