
Photo credit: Bebeto Matthews/Associated Press
June 18, 2020
Amid the ongoing threat of the coronavirus, there are surging reports of xenophobic and racist incidents targeting members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community in the U.S.
Since January 2020, there have been a significant number of reports of AAPI individuals being threatened and harassed on the street. These incidents include being told to “Go back to China,” being blamed for “bringing the virus” to the United States, being referred to with racial slurs, spat on, or physically assaulted. Statements by public officials referring to COVID-19 as the “Chinese virus,” “Kung Flu” or “Wu Flu” may be exacerbating the scapegoating and targeting of the AAPI community. Meanwhile, extremists continue to spread antisemitic and xenophobic conspiracies about COVID-19, blaming Jews and China for creating, spreading and profiting off the virus.
The following is a representative list of coronavirus-related anti-Asian incidents reported in the media or by the victims. The description of the victims is based on media reporting. Please note: This is not a comprehensive list; for more detailed information or to report an incident, refer to resources established by the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council (A3PCON) or Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA).
July
June
June 17 – Wyckoff, NJ: A Chinese restaurant was vandalized with graffiti that read, "coronavirus" and "COVID-19." (Source: NorthJersey.com)
June 14 – Newark, DE: Fliers targeting Asian and Asian American students were found at off-campus housing at the University of Delaware, Newark. The flyers included the message "Kill China Virus." (Source: WDEL)
June 13 – Queens, NY: A man at a Bayside 7-Eleven made anti-Asian remarks regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and then verbally harassed an Asian customer whom he also allegedly pushed. (Source: NY Daily News)
June 6 – Denver, CO: Two Asian American people were verbally accosted while walking on the street by a woman who told them they "smell like shit" and "You guys are all disgusting! You all!" (Source: Reported to ADL)
June 3 – Brooklyn, NY: Conspiratorial anti-Chinese fliers were posted in Bay Ridge. The flyers blamed the spread of COVID-19 on Chinese immigrants. (Source: Gothamist)
May
May 23 – Seattle, WA: A man harassed Asian people at a park and an Asian woman in her car, saying, “Where are you from…where is your ID?”, and “Chinese disease…they bring it here!” Later, the man allegedly yelled anti-Asian remarks inside an Asian restaurant. (Source: King 5)
May 22 – San Leandro, CA: A woman was arrested after posting handwritten fliers on homes that read, in part, “If you are a woman or man and was born in other country, return, go back to your land immediately, fast, with urgency" and “In this place, no Asians allowed." (Source: SF Gate)
May 17 – Contra Costa, CA: A farm stand displayed a racist sign that read "Fresh bat soup" and "Thank you China." (Source: Reported to ADL)
May 15 – New York, NY: An Asian woman was verbally harassed by fellow subway passenger for not wearing her mask "properly." The passenger yelled at the victim, "You fucking Chinese don't speak English! Go back to China!" She also slapped the victim's phone away. (Source: NY Daily News)
May 12 – Stevens Point, WI: A man was arrested after using racial slurs against Asian customers in a grocery store. According to police “the customers were called names and harassed for wearing masks because of their race.” (Source: WSAW)
May 14 – San Luis Obispo, CA: The Cal Poly Chinese Student Association's Zoom meeting was disrupted by unknown participants who drew swastikas and filled the chat box with xenophobic comments blaming the pandemic on people of Chinese descent. (Source: KSBY)
May 5 – St. Louis, MO: A restaurant displayed a pinata in the shape of the coronavirus with a racist depiction of an Asian face on it. (Source: Riverfront Times)
May 3 – Pasadena, CA: Police arrested a man who threw a drink at several Asian American people while yelling racial slurs at them. (Source: Pasadena Now)
May 3 – New York, NY: An Asian man was attacked on the subway by a stranger who shouted at him, "You're infected China boy, you need to get off the train." The assailant then grabbed the victim and attempted to pull him out of his seat. (Source: NY Daily News)
May 1 – Hoboken, NJ: Spray-painted anti-Asian graffiti was reported on the sidewalk outside an apartment building. (Source: Patch)
April
April 26 – Queens, NY: An Asian woman in Rego Park was harassed by a man who yelled expletives and told her, "You're the one who brought the virus here.” After the woman attempted to record him on her cellphone, he slapped her phone away. (Source: Patch)
April 25 – Pasadena, CA: An Asian man was walking with a friend when a motorist drove past and yelled at them, “Fucking Asians, motherfuckers. You brought this disease here.” Source: NextShark
April 25 – Chesapeake, VA: A Chinese restaurant owner was harassed by an individual who entered the restaurant and threw water on her and her husband. The owner of the restaurant also reported that someone painted “Go back to China" on her car. (Source: The Virginian-Pilot)
April 22 – San Jose, CA: Five Asian-Owned businesses were vandalized in nearby neighborhoods of San Jose. (Source: East Bay Times)
April 20 – Orange County, CA: During a second-grade class held on Zoom, one student told the class he does not like "China or Chinese people because they started this quarantine." (Source: Facebook)
April 19 – San Francisco, CA: An Asian American woman was harassed while walking her dogs. She was told to "Go back to whatever fucking country you came from" and that "nasty people should stay in fucking Asia." (Source: Facebook)
April 2 – Cherry Hill, NJ: A Vietnamese American man was walking his dog when he was verbally harassed by a stranger who yelled that he “caused the coronavirus and needed to get the fuck out of here.” Source: WHYY
April 1 – Pittsburgh, PA: (Date approximate) An Asian American woman was at a grocery store when she was told by another shopper to shop with her own kind and that she "should be rounded up with the virus and shipped back to China." (Source: Pittsburgh's Action News 4)
March
March 31 – Philadelphia, PA: Several Asian American homes received a letter that referenced eating bats and pangolin and encouraged the recipients to burn themselves alive. Source: WHYY
March 31 – Webster Groves, MO: American Identity Movement, an alt right group, distributed propaganda that read promoted their group and featured a Corona beer bottle with the coronavirus germ and read: "Immigration kills," and "Made in China." (Source: ADL identified)
February
January