Leaders suggest hazmat-costumed person holding up “China Did This” sign sets bad tone
SALINAS, Calif. (KION) A protest in Salinas is flagging some concerns in the community. A photo taken late Wednesday evening shows a person in a Hazmat-looking suit holding up a large sign that says "China Did This." It happened at the corner of Blanco Road and South Main Street in Salinas.
Some local Asian American leaders are suggesting this sets a bad tone in the community.
Some on Twitter are pointing out the display is being done in front of Star Market, a grocery store started by a prominent local Chinese-American family.
But incidents around the country against Asian Americans and people of Asian descent are causing some concern on the Central Coast.
"It definitely makes me more nervous about going out, I feel more anxious," said Jean Vengua, a co-chair of the Asian Cultural Experience group in Salinas.
An Asian American doctor in Indiana, fighting on the front lines against the coronavirus pandemic, was kicked out of a gas station this last week. Employees told local police there anyone of Chinese descent was not allowed in the store because of COVID-19. The doctor is of Korean descent.
In West Texas this week, three Chinese-American family members, including a two and six-year-old, were stabbed by a man who told authorities he thought the family was Chinese and spreading the coronavirus. The FBI is treating the incident as a hate crime.
Vengua is Filipino-American. She says she is apprehensive about wearing a mask in public because it could make her a target.
"People who are going to do that kind of harassment are probably not going to make much of a differentiation between Filipinos and Chinese or Japanese and Chinese, or (whatever)," she said.
CBS News reports California Governor Gavin Newsom says there has been a "huge increase" in assaults targeting the Asian American community in the state.
In a memo sent out to local law enforcement agencies around the nation, the FBI's Houston office "assesses hate crime incidents against Asian Americans likely will surge across the United States… endangering Asian American communities." They go on to say that is "based on the assumption that a portion of the US public will associate COVID-19 with China and Asian American populations."
While cities like Monterey have not had any reported hate crime-related incidents over coronavirus, they will not hesitate to file those charges.
"…if the sole reason for that crime was based on the victim's gender, nationality or their sexual orientation," said Lt. Mike Bruno, of the Monterey Police Department.
For Vengua, it is all about not living in fear.
"Don't let it stop you from going out or doing what you need to do," she said.
Police are saying if you are a victim of any hate crime, it is important to report the incident so that there could be an investigation done.
