Chinese-Australian family at the centre of racist vandalism receives outpouring of support
A Chinese-Australian family whose home was vandalised amid the coronavirus pandemic has received an outpouring of support from neighbours, celebrities and fellow Australians around the country.
The home – located in the Melbourne suburb of Knoxville – was targeted by vandals for two nights in a row, leaving the garage covered in coronavirus-themed racist graffiti and one of the windows smashed with a large rock.
“COVID-19 China die” was spray-painted on the garage door on Monday morning, while the window was smashed on Tuesday morning.
Australian permanent resident Jackson, whose surname was not disclosed, said he reported the vandalism to the police.
Jackson said he had been “busy buying CCTV systems, repairing glass and buying lamps” since the attacks.
He said having his window smashed made him “fearful”, and that his family “wasn’t politically active and did not want to support or oppose anyone”.
Jackson said the support from the local community and politicians has helped him calm his nerves, but he was still worried about the safety of his wife and child.
Victoria Police told the ABC they were investigating two incidents of criminal damage.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and Acting Immigration Minister Alan Tudge have condemned the attacks.
“There’s no place in our Victorian community for that sort of conduct. It’s just evil,” Andrews said on Wednesday.
“At a time when we should be coming together and supporting each other, it needs to be called out for what it is. It’s just appalling, absolutely appalling.
“And it won’t help us save lives, it won’t help us save jobs, it’s not only the wrong thing to do, it’s just not smart either.”
Professor Tim Soutphommasane, former Race Discrimination Commissioner, said many Asian-Australians felt they were “being made scapegoats for the virus”.
“We are seeing the spread of extremist propaganda and conspiracy theories, especially online. What’s really concerning is how quickly some of the sentiment appears to be working into mainstream opinion,” he told 10 daily.
“There’s got to be an emphatic public message that there’s no excuse for racism, and for blaming groups in our society for the coronavirus.”
An online database for anti-Asian racism in Australia has received 240 reports in less than a month.
The survey, which was launched in early April by the Asian Australian Alliance, found that many of the respondents had been subjected to a racial slur or name-calling such as “stop eating bats” and “go back to China”, while others said they were “getting spat/sneezed or coughed on”.
Earlier in April, 16 prominent Asian-Australians created a petition calling for “unity over fear and hatred” during the pandemic. At the time of writing, the public letter has been signed by more than 25,000 people, including celebrity chef Adam Liaw and writer Benjamin Law.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has condemned the racist abuse against Chinese-Australians, saying Asian migrants led the way in Australia’s response to the coronavirus crisis.
He told SBS News: “It was the Chinese Australian community that actually protected Australia. They led the way and the broader community is now following.”