Fears of increase in racist incidents

Rising levels of racist abuse that forced people of Chinese heritage to withdraw from UK society before the lockdown are likely to escalate when it lifts, an academic has warned.

Chinese people have been coughed at, attacked and told to “go back home”, according to research led by Professor Binna Kandola.

Reported experiences ranged from casual jokes to violent attacks and death threats, with people left too frightened to venture out alone and children ridiculed by their peers, 29 in-depth interviews with people of east Asian heritage revealed.

Prof Kandola said he believes part of this is an attempt to try to gain control over uncertainty by scapegoating, but that many victims felt there was also underlying racism and a lack of concern from others about this racism.

The business psychologist and author told the PA news agency: “The effect it is having on everybody is they feel more threatened, they feel far more wary about going out”.

The research was prompted by a woman on Linkedin who told the authors she was worried about the anti-chinese prejudice she was facing in and out of the workplace.

A little more than half of the 412 people surveyed said they had experienced an increase in discrimination during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Three in 10 said they had witnessed or experienced discrimination at work, while 37% said they had experienced this outside the office.

Many respondents referenced US President Donald Trump’s remarks about coronavirus being a “Chinese virus”, concerned that he was “inviting and condoning racism”.

Prof Kandola said society has an opportunity to show zero tolerance towards racist behaviour when the UK eases lockdown measures.

The report also noted how Chinese restaurants and takeaways had abusive notices placed on their windows and doors, affecting business even before the lockdown.

Condemnation from leading politicians and the media would help those affected feel like they are being listened to, he said.