Racists are going out of their way to harm Asian communities in horrific ways. In Brooklyn, New York, a 39-year-old woman was disposing of her trash outside of her apartment when a man attacked her with an unknown substance that caused chemical burns on her face and body. The man immediately fled the scene, police said. According to police officials, while the woman suffered burns to her face, neck, shoulder, and back, she remains in stable condition. The New York Police Department has released a video and is seeking the public’s help in identifying the perpetrator, who was wearing a face mask, gloves, and a black hoodie at the time of the attack, BuzzFeed News reported.
While the motive of the attack is uncertain, there has been a surge of attacks against Asian Americans since the COVID-19 pandemic. Misinformation on the novel coronavirus and connections made to its origins in China have led to attacks on Asian Americans nationwide. In New York alone, multiple hate crimes have been reported and shared on social media as a result of the pandemic. According to Stop AAPI Hate, more than 1,000 hate incidents have been reported within a two-week period in the U.S. These incidents are likely to increase as the pandemic spreads, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) concluded in a report, which said "The FBI makes this assessment based on the assumption that a portion of the US public will associate COVID-19 with China and Asian American populations.”
The incident took place on April 5 in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Police footage shows the woman taking out her trash when a man, who appears to be sitting on the stoop of her building stairs, stands up and approaches her from behind with a bottle in hand. As noted by BuzzFeed News, authorities said there was no interaction between the two prior to the assault.
The xenophobic language used by Donald Trump and his administration only contributes to the rise of hate crimes against Asian communities because of the novel coronavirus. Both he and his administration have been condemned for the use of terms like “Chinese virus” and “kung flu.” When asked if his use of the term “Chinese virus” was racist and put Asian Americans at risk, Trump defended it, saying that not only would Asian Americans “probably” agree but that “it [the virus] comes from China,” Real Clear Politics reported. The term “Chinese virus” has created a stigma around Asian Americans, resulting in dire consequences including violence nationwide. This virus should be called what it is: a global pandemic, not “Chinese virus.” That is a term that’s not only misinformed but spreads unnecessary hate and fear in society.
No race or individual deserves to be the target of hatred or violence. Daily Kos reported this week on another incident in New York in which a woman riding the bus was attacked with an umbrella by four individuals on March 28. Like the Asian woman attacked Sunday, this woman also suffered facial injuries.