‘Sambal bij: that’s not funny’, can be read on the plates and masks of some protesters. Hundreds went to campaign yesterday on the Museumplein in Amsterdam. Because anti-Asian racism isn’t just an American problem. Vincent Yeers (24) from Eindhoven can also cite countless examples.
–
–
“I used to be called Chinese at school,” he says. Sometimes people on the street shout ‘ni hao’ or ‘ching-chang-chjong’ to me out of nowhere. And when I worked at a snack bar, I was regularly asked for a ‘flit’ or a ‘clock’. ”
Vincent, together with other Asian youth, organized the protest in Amsterdam, which eventually attracted just over 300 people. In fact, in the United Streets, thousands of people took to the streets to protest anti-Asian violence. The protests follow after a gunman in Atlanta killed eight people, including six women of Asian descent.
–
–
The suspect, 21-year-old Robert Aaron Long, denies that he was motivated by racism. According to him, he has a sex addiction and wanted to ‘eliminate his temptations’. But according to the protesters, it is clear: this was a crime of hatred.
Target more often
Because of the corona crisis, people with an Asian appearance are increasingly the target of intimidation and violence. Former President Donald Trump regularly referred to the coronavirus as the ‘Chinese virus’ or’Kung Flu’. In the United States, nearly 4,000 incidents of racism against Asians were reported in the past year reported.
“It was incredibly impressive,” says Yeers about the demonstration on Museumplein. “Everyone shared their experiences. Some really moved me. ” It was not the first time that Vincent brought anti-Asian racism to the attention in the Netherlands. Last year he started the petition We are not viruses which has been signed more than 65,000 times.
–
–
“It is very good that more and more attention is being paid to it. This is also because we are talking about it more and more. The previous generation always kept their mouths shut, that’s in Chinese culture. But we are Dutch, ” says Vincent. “So we open our mouths.”
–
–
Improvement
” When I look at my environment, I can already see a real improvement in awareness in the Netherlands. That is very nice to see. I have faith in our society. But there is still a little push needed, so I keep fighting. ”
–
–
