The spread of coronavirus has resulted in panic across the world — with people debating as to the severity of the situation: is this a deadly virus that we should all be afraid of? Or is it just similar to the common flu? It is without doubt that the medical effects of the COVID-19 has taken the front stage in issues across the world (and rightfully so). However, when we have been focusing solely on the health effects of the coronavirus, we fail to see the social effects that has surfaced from the spread of this virus— where racism has found yet another excuse to rear its ugly head.

Racist assaults in the past few weeks have been on the rise, with videos and stories of Asian people being targeted — be it verbally or physically.* Personally, I have had experienced several racist statements directed to me in the past weeks, some involving references to the coronavirus. However, stories and videos of racially-motivated assaults always seem like they would never happen to you. After all, people might be racist and might say things, but surely, they wouldn’t dare attack you, especially on one of the busiest streets in London?

Last Monday, at roughly 9.15pm on Oxford Street in London, I walked past a group of young men, when I saw one of them look at me (just as he walked past me) and said something to me, which I could make out the word ‘coronavirus’. I was stunned and turned around to have a look at the man made the statement. He was still staring at me as he walked past and realised I was looking at him. He shouted ‘Don’t you dare look at me, you ____’ (I could not catch the last word because of the accent). Within 3 seconds, he was in my face, together with 3/4 other young men, and a young lady (all of whom seemed no older than 20 years old, but were all more than a head taller than me). I was shocked and angry because he directed a racist remark at me and had the audacity to shout at me like I had wronged him. All of a sudden, the first punch was swung at my face and took me by surprise. When I was still shocked by the first hit, the guy delivered the second sucker punch. By then, a few passers-by had stopped and one of them tried to reason with them that 4 on 1 was not fair. The attacker’s friend tried to swing a kick at me as I was explaining to the passer-by that I hadn’t done anything at all. I tried to react in self-defence but couldn’t do anything substantial because I was still recovering from a broken finger in my master hand. The guy who tried to kick me then said, ‘I don’t want your coronavirus in my country’, before swinging another sucker punch at me, which resulted in my face exploding with blood (from my nose), where the blood was splattered all across the pavement. Still in daze and shock, the group left promptly from the scene before the police arrived. Following the incident, I followed up with a visit to the A&E and I was told that I had suffered a few fractures in my face and might need to undergo reconstructive surgery to fix some of the bones.

For those of you who know me, I hate being in the spotlight and I never liked writing posts on Facebook or any social media platform— I only see it as a platform to share memes and hopefully, bring some joy to my friends on social media. However, I felt that this incident highlighted an important issue that needed to be brought into the spotlight. I’ve studied in London for the past 2 years and every year, I am subjected to racist remarks (whether innocent or made with malice). To those people who told me that London isn’t racist, think again.

I’ve always believed that racism was grounded in stupidity— that people who actually believed one’s ‘racial group’ or ‘nationality’ defines an individual must surely be so ignorant that they deserve my pity. Surely, an ethnic Chinese cannot be ‘British’ or a white-skinned person cannot be Chinese? What makes us ‘Chinese’, ‘Indian’, ‘Malay’ or some other race? Most of us have ancestors of different races. What should we make of a Singaporean who has an English father and a Chinese mother? Is she Chinese or English? What then, should we make of an individual with bloodlines tracing from many different places? How should we classify an individual who has ancestors hailing from Africa, China, England and Italy? Racists argue that people are a certain way because of their race. But how can this argument hold when we realise that race is such a malleable concept? I have believed for long that racism is grounded in stupidity, but I realise today that to say so, is not only being kind to racists, but also gives them an excuse.

Racism is not stupidity — racism is hate. Racists constantly find excuses to expound their hatred— and in this current backdrop of the coronavirus, they’ve found yet another excuse. From refusing service to a Chinese-looking person to racially-motivated hate crimes, every single one of these acts are based on racism. People dismiss racism with statements such as ‘it’s not all of us — only a minority are racists and this does not reflect on a city/country’. While factually true, not only it does not change the fact that this is an ugly problem that has plagued humanity for a very long time, but also it belittles this problem we have. Racism has changed it form and shape through the years and it is once again rearing its ugly head in light of the COVID-19 crisis.

People may ask me why did I not fight back? Or some might even say I shouldn’t even have turned when I heard the racist remark — but do any of these answer the question: why should anyone, simply because of the colour of their skin, be subjected to abuse, in any form, verbal or physical? Why should I keep quiet when someone makes a racist remark towards me?

To the group of guys who saw fit to attack me because of my skin colour: here’s something for you— I stood up to you because I wasn’t afraid, I’ve faced far more intimidating characters in my life. And if you think ganging up on someone who is sizeably smaller than you makes you a big man — it doesn’t. It only makes every single one of you a coward who doesn’t have the balls to take someone on 1 on 1. Grow a pair.

[To anyone who saw the incident on Monday night (24 Feb 2020) at Oxford Street (just opposite the Primark at Tottenham Court Road), or have any knowledge of or evidence to the incident, please contact me or the Met Police UK to provide evidence to identify the perpetrators!]

[To the kind lady who helped videotape the incident and call the police, if you read this, please contact me I would like to have a copy of the video! Thank you!]