According to AA, a report by the Human Rights Watch has shown that Coronavirus is fuelling anti-Asian hate.
“Asians and people of Asian descent have been targets of derogatory language in media reports and statements by politicians as well as on social media platforms, where hate speech related to Covid-19 also appears to have spread extensively,” the US-based rights group said in a statement.
The group blamed governments around the world for encouraging racism by using anti-Chinese rhetoric. Governments are thus encouraged to to take action against racism.
“Governments should act to expand public outreach, promote tolerance, and counter hate speech while aggressively investigating and prosecuting hate crimes,” John Sifton, Asia advocacy director of the HRW, said.
Although President Trump has since stated that the virus is “not the fault of Asian Americans”, he previously came under fire for repeatedly referring to the virus as “Chinese”.
The HRW report stated that Trump’s use of the term ‘Chinese Virus’ encouraged the use of hate speech.
Additionally, the report condemned Italian governor Luca Zaia for telling reporters that “unlike Italians, the Chinese did not have good standards of hygiene” and “eat mice live.”
A rise in hate crimes towards Asians in Los Angeles was recently reported.
NYPD also recently issued its latest crime report, showing that crimes against Asian Americans were on the rise in April.
Meanwhile, Coronavirus hate crimes against Chinese people in the UK are rising.
