May 20, 2020
The lions which proudly stand at the Millenium Gate of Vancouver’s Chinatown have become a target of racist anti-Chinese graffiti because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to Global News.
The words ‘COVID-19,’ ‘China,’ and ‘goof’ were tagged on the statues with red maker Monday afternoon.
The city of Vancouver took immediate action and covered the graffiti with duct tape by Wednesday, which the city says is part of the removal process.
“The City was extremely disappointed and saddened to learn of yet another incidence of racism in Vancouver, this time in the form of racist graffiti on the Chinatown lions,” stated a city spokesman to Global News.
“As the City already pointed out at the end of April, racism, xenophobia and hate speech have no place in Vancouver and the City is appalled by the recent increase in anti-Asian discrimination that has occurred during the current pandemic.”
These incidents are one of many that have been occurring in the city of Vancouver for the last few months. Recently over the weekend, an indigenous Canadian woman named Dakota Holmes, 27 was walking her dog when she sneezed and was mistaken for a Chinese woman. She was punched in the face by a random man who then said “Go back to China” because “You don’t belong here.”
Feature Images via Chinatown Today