Compared to the United States, Canada reportedly has a “higher” number of anti-Asian racism reports per capita amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis.
This, according to the national report on anti-Asian racist incidents released by Chinese Canadian National Council Toronto Chapter, Project 1907, Vancouver Asian Film Festival (VAFF), and Chinese Canadian National Council for Social Justice on the anniversary of the 1907 anti-Asian riots in Vancouver.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, it noted that over 600 cases were reported to elimin8hate.org and covidracism.ca.
We launched the first national report on anti-Asian racist incidents during COVID-19 with our friends at @proj1907 @ccncsj Ccncsj. With over 600 incidents and racist attacks against Asian and Chinese communities reported across Canada, with BC leading /capita across all of N.A pic.twitter.com/yiJgbSZb6c
— Chinese Canadian National Council Toronto (@ccncto) September 9, 2020
Combining reports of racism from seven provinces, the report said British Columbia has the “most” anti-Asian racism incidents per capita of any national region in North America, followed by California, New York, and Ontario.
In Canadian cities, the number of reported incidents in Vancouver was at 28 percent, Toronto at 26 percent, Montreal at five percent, Calgary at three percent, and Ottawa also at three percent.
“These disturbing data, particularly when viewing in contrast to the US, illustrate the way in which the COVID-19 pandemic remains deeply racialized,” Chinese Canadian National Council Toronto Chapter Executive Director Justin Kong said in a news release.
“Government policies and all parties need to put an end to anti-Asian and anti-Chinese rhetoric that stirs up hateful attacks and prejudice against all Asian Canadians,” he added.
The report also found out that verbal abuse and harassment — including racial slurs, threats, and derogatory remarks — occurred in 65 percent of all reported incidents.
It added that nearly 30 percent of incidents were considered assault, which included targeted coughing, spitting, and physical attacks and violence.
In terms of location, these incidents happened mostly in public spaces at 45 percent, followed by grocery stores at 14 percent, pubic transit at eight percent, other business establishments at seven percent, and private residences at five percent.
Meanwhile, the majority of those who encountered racism incidents were East Asians at 83 percent, followed by Southeast Asians at seven percent, South Asians at two percent, mixed-race or biracial at 1.5 percent, and Indigenous at one percent.
It was also stated that the attacks impacted women the most, reporting 60 percent of all incidents. In British Columbia, women were said to be “more disproportionately impacted,” lodging nearly 70 percent of all reported incidents.
“The recent surge in anti-Asian violence, vandalism and xenophobia is reminiscent of the 1907 Anti-Asian Riots and the decades of targeted discrimination that followed,” the Project 1907 organizers said.
The four organizations asked the Federal government to put in its post-pandemic recovery plan an anti-racism strategy that will “put equitable recovery” and recognize “how Black people, Asians and other people of color, and especially those who are economically marginalized – remain disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and its fallout.”
“As Provincial and Federal governments budget for an economic recovery, this an opportune time in history to dismantle these systems that oppress, marginalize and exclude,” the VAFF said.
“Racialized people need to be seen and heard and represented in leadership roles in the corporate world, government, institutions and media,” it added.
Aside from these organizations, many netizens around the world are also urging others to stop pointing fingers, instead, be united amid these trying times.