"Asian-Americans are facing increasing racist and xenophobic attacks, catalyzed by rhetoric from the president"
A UN report has accused President Trump of “seemingly legitimizing” the rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans.
Signed by the UN’s special rapporteurs on racism and migrant rights, the report cites over 1,800 racist incidents against Asian Americans from March to May 2020.
The report expressed “serious concern over the rising wave of racist and xenophobic attacks”, condemning US authorities for “utterly failing to take the steps required to detect, monitor, and prevent racist and xenophobic incidents.”
Such failures have resulted in a “state of impunity” for hateful chauvinists, according to the report which was also signed by the head of the international body’s working group on discrimination against women.
The report then took aim at the US President. “We are further concerned by the documented increase in hate and misogynist speech, including incitement to hatred and racial discrimination in public places and online, and the contribution of the President of the United States in seemingly legitimizing these violations,” the report said.
In the first Presidential debate, Trump declined to denounce white supremacy whilst calling out for far-right group The Proud Boys.
Although Trump has since stated that the virus is “not the fault of Asian Americans”, he came under fire for repeatedly referring to the virus as “Chinese”.
Manjusha Kulkarni, executive director of the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council, and a leader of Stop AAPI Hate, said in a statement, “our data and evidence of the real-life stories confirm that Asian-Americans are facing increasing racist and xenophobic attacks, catalyzed by rhetoric from the president and other government leadership.”
Stop AAPI Hate recorded over 2,500 racist incidents towards Asians between March and August 2020.
Last month, the US House of Representatives has passed the resolution 243-164, backed heavily by Democrats. All 164 ‘no’ votes were Republicans.
Congresswoman Grace Meng, who spearheaded the resolution, consequently received a flurry of racist voicemails.
Most recently, a US Marine is being investigated after posting a video of himself threatening to kill Asians whilst citing Trump.