A petition is calling for the UK media to stop using images of Asians in Coronavirus-related news.
The petition, which has garnered over 1900 signatures, criticises UK media outlets including the BBC and The Guardian for using photography of East and South East Asians when discussing the virus.
“It is damaging and hurtful for our British East & South East Asians (BESEA) communities and perpetuates the idea that all BESEA are coronavirus carriers,” the petition states.
According to the petition, depictions of East Asians “significantly contributes to racial discrimination, stereotyping, prejudice, verbal and physical abuse and harassment.”
The petition adds that there were over 267 racist attacks on Chinese, East and Southeast Asians people over the last three months compared to 375 through the whole of 2019.
It adds that Chinese people are only 0.7% of the population in the UK and are thereby disproportionately depicted in Covid-19 stories.
Last month, video footage of a Chinese takeaway in Lancashire being violently attacked was circulating online.
