Unprovoked Assaults on Asians... Rise in Hate Crimes in Canada Since COVID-19

City of Vancouver, Canada Reports 20 Hate Crimes Against Asians So Far This Year
Concentrated Occurrence from March to April Amid Rapid COVID-19 Spread

On the 6th, near a bus stop in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, a white man punched an Asian woman and fled the scene. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Seung-gon Han, Intern Reporter Joo-hyung Lim] Hate crimes against Asian citizens in Canada have significantly increased amid the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

On the 6th (local time), according to the Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP), the Vancouver Police Department in British Columbia, Canada, announced that they are seeking a suspect who assaulted an Asian woman in downtown Vancouver on the 13th of last month.

Closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage released by the police shows a young white male approaching an Asian woman who is much smaller in stature, punching her, and then fleeing by bus. The assaulted woman is seen collapsed on the ground, covering her face.

The police explained, "The suspect approached and attacked the victim near a bus stop," adding, "The motive for the assault is unknown, but since there was no conversation between the two, it appears to be an unprovoked attack."

They further stated, "The victim's physical injuries have largely healed, but she is receiving treatment for psychological trauma."

According to the police, hate crimes targeting Asians in Vancouver have been on the rise since the spread of COVID-19. As of 2020, there have been 20 hate crime cases against Asians, a significant increase compared to the 12 cases reported throughout the previous year.

Notably, 16 of the 20 hate crimes this year occurred between March and April, when the spread of COVID-19 peaked.

Regarding this, the police said, "These types of crimes have continued since the spread of COVID-19," and added, "We take these hate crimes very seriously and will never tolerate such behavior."

Kennedy Stewart, Mayor of Vancouver, also stated at a press conference held at Vancouver City Hall on the 29th of last month, "The reported hate crimes against Asians have significantly increased compared to the previous year," and said, "I am deeply angered by some citizens engaging in such hateful acts."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.