The Asian community has seen a steep increase in racial attacks since the beginning of the pandemic
Kam Adams, Speaker of London Borough of Hackney, has denounced a surge in racial attacks against the East and South East Asian (ESEA) community of Hackney.
Speaking at an exhibition showcasing East & South East Asian artists, hosted by the Steam Room, Adams, who is the councillor for Hoxton East, welcomed the Chinese Year of the Ox. On Friday, he thanked the Chinese community for their contribution to “community cohesion” in Hackney.
He said: “Racism and hate crime towards this particular group is not new and they have suffered this for decades without recognition or address.”
During the pandemic, ESEA communities have encountered escalating racial discrimination. Records by the Metropolitan Police reveal that between January and June 2020, there were a total of 457 race-related crimes against people who defined themselves as Chinese or of East or South East Asian ethnicity. In March, the figure rose to 101 of such crimes, nearly three times more than in March 2019 and 2018.
Moreover, there has been a disproportionate number of deaths of ESEA key workers and many Asian businesses have also suffered from the economic impact of Covid 19. Statistics from Public Health England show death rates were highest among people of black and Asian ethnic groups.
Adams stressed that Hackney is a “proud, diverse borough with a strong tradition of standing up to all forms of hatred and discrimination.”
“Remember at this time more than ever that we must all unite and demonstrate solidarity incorporating our fellow Hackney residents within the ESEA community,” he said.
The owner of the Steam Room, Tony Chung also commented: “We are happy that the speaker encouraged solidarity with the ESEA community.”
At the end of his visit, Chung donated a framed print to Hackney Foodbank, the speaker’s own charity, that says: “Laundry is the only thing that should be separated by colour.”
