Coronavirus discrimination: Victims share stories of hate crimes after 650+ incidents reported

ByDion Lim KGO logo

Friday, March 27, 2020

Coronavirus discrimination: Victims share stories of hate crimes after 650+ incidents reported

One week ago, an online reporting center was launched so people who experienced coronavirus-related discrimination could share their stories. Since then there have been more than 100 cases reported each day.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Incidents of discrimination toward Asian Americans is on the rise.

One week ago, San Francisco State University's Asian American Studies Department and civil rights groups like Chinese for Affirmative Action launched an online reporting center so people who experienced coronavirus-related discrimination could share their stories.

Since then there have been more than 100 cases reported each day.

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Many people who wrote in didn't want to go on camera because they were afraid their stories are powerful. So we asked other Asian Americans to read them for TV.

One woman who did go on camera is named Jenny. She got a letter sent to her addressed to the Chinese Culture Center where she works.

"You are filthy, filthy people. Every year another epidemic starts in China. You consider it the culture...culture shouldn't be filthy," she reads.

Others share these stories:

"As an Asian I asked my boss if she wanted to eat at Din Tai Fung. She proceeded to say "NO! I don't want corona virus"-- San Jose

"Go back to Chi-Na before you give us all corona virus" --Alameda

"I got yelled at "F**king Chinese who brought the Corona virus. Go back to China..blah blah blah.." by my neighbor who lives directly across from my house." --San Francisco

"A white man on open sidewalk approached and stepped directly in front of me and coughed in extremely exaggerated manner in my face loudly mouth wide open about 2 feet from my face. said 'take my virus'." --Lafayette

"An African woman called for the elevator. When the door is opened, seeing my husband and I was in the elevator, she yelled: "I am going to take the stairs 'cuz you people have diseases.' " --Berkeley

"I was running through the neighborhood, keeping a social distance, obviously. A Caucasian man stood FAR away from me and said 'Chinese Virus'." --Sunnyvale

"Children saw me come into the aisle and started fake coughing then made mocking Chinese sounds ("Ching Chong"). Their parents all saw this and did nothing." --Santa Rosa Costco

"I was walking around my neighborhood and a women in a car calling me sick man. This is the second time I experienced it in my neighborhood. Very hurtful! --Los Altos

"A group of Teenage Caucasian Americans screamed "corona" at us when my friend and I walked past them towards the restaurant. Then when we were about to leave, an Asian family of four biked past the same group, and got yelled at "here comes the corona

squad" directly at them." --Sunnyvale

San Francisco, Fremont Police and the Alameda County Sheriff's office have received zero reports of hate crimes in recent weeks. But all agencies know they're happening anecdotally. All are making an effort to encourage victims to file official reports. Even if it's anonymously.

"Reporting paints a picture and then allows us to direct resources, education and better understand as to what's going on. It allows us to send a message to the Asian American community that we care about you we want you to report these incidents so we can make sure this behavior stop."

Cynthia Choi, co-executive director of Chinese for Affirmative Action says this is just the tip of the iceberg, but is the beginning of making positive change.

"The next step is finding resourced for individuals what can you if you're harassed... This can be a very isolating and anxiety-filled time, we want to make sure people are getting the resources and the support they need."

If you have a story to report, you can do so at this website.

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