Global News reports that Vancouver Chinatown has been hit with racist Coronavirus graffiti.
“Covid-19”, “China” and “goof” were written with a marker on the city’s Chinatown lions at Millennium Gate.
The City of Vancouver has since covered up the graffiti with duct tape as part of its removal process.
“The City was extremely disappointed and saddened to learn of yet another incidence of racism in Vancouver, this time in the form of racist graffiti on the Chinatown lions,” said a city spokesperson.
“As the City already pointed out at the end of April, racism, xenophobia and hate speech have no place in Vancouver and the City is appalled by the recent increase in anti-Asian discrimination that has occurred during the current pandemic.”
Vancouver police is investigating the incident and urges victims of racism to come forward.
Recently, an indigenous Vancouver woman was punched in the head after she sneezed.
Funding to the Chinatown Business Improvement Association for increased security has increased from the city too.
BC Premier John Horgan condemned racism in the city as “absolutely unacceptable.”
“Hate has no place in British Columbia,” he said. “We are a strong and vibrant economy and a strong an environment community because of the diversity, that is what makes up this great province.”
“I’m grateful to see citizens standing up to racism when they see it.”
Hate crimes towards Asians have been rising since the outbreak of the pandemic. A report by the Human Rights Watch has shown that Coronavirus is fuelling anti-Asian hate.
Meanwhile, Ohio is declaring racism as a public health crisis amid the Coronavirus pandemic.
Both lions were defaced. 😤 #Chinatownyvr #racism pic.twitter.com/6jI4Wzt4Jo
— Sarah Ling | 凌慧意 (@sarahwyling) May 19, 2020
Not sure if this is part of the fixing/healing process, but seeing this duct tape cover-up the day after hurts us almost more than the original racist graffiti. The pain is real. #ChinatownYVR pic.twitter.com/GtzKbUfzuS
— Youth Co for Chinatown (@ycc_yvr) May 20, 2020
