Following the attack on Mr Zhang Yuan Zhao last month, several of our societies, in partnership with the SU’s BME Officer, have come together to put out a statement condemning this horrific violent attack and call for action and solidarity.
On behalf of our societies and all our members, we strongly condemn the sharp rise in violence and hate crimes towards the Asian Community, both in Cambridge and in the rest of the UK. This latest attack on Mr Zhang Yuanzhao once again highlights the deep-seated prejudice and hatred against the Asian community in the UK, and has again prompted us to call for action.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are reminded time and time again that
anti-Asian racism and hatred destroys lives and divides our communities, a recurring theme in history not only in the UK, but other countries as well. The latest incident is a stark reminder of how stereotypes and xenophobic beliefs can re-emerge in these times of crisis, endangering the wellbeing of our community. Anti-Asian rhetoric in the form of words and comments is already unacceptable as it is, yet we have seen time and again how it leads to real physical harm. For over 2 years, we have all heard accounts of our friends getting spat at, egged, cursed at, and many other unprovoked incidents. This latest incident is a grim reminder of the vulnerability of our community; a shocking headline for many, but unfortunately, an unsurprising development for many of us already familiar with the perception of our people in the eyes of many.
We ask all to stand in solidarity with those who experience racism and xenophobia, and to remain vigilant to the many ways anti-Asian prejudice affects us. We affirm our commitment to being a community that stands firmly against racism and will continue to provide a safe space for all our members in these dangerous times. Our societies are pushing forth with initiatives to safeguard our members, all while continuing with the various activities celebrating our wonderful cultures.
Once again, we call on our peers and fellow Asian communities to stand together with us and demand an immediate end to these senseless hate crimes. We call on local authorities to properly investigate this recent horrific attack on Mr Zhang Yuanzhao and for them as well as the University administration to commit to initiatives protecting the many members of the Asian community in Cambridge. We Asians will not sit idly by while our community is threatened and attacked. #StopAsianHate
Signatures of Presidents on behalf of their societies:
- Pua Ek Hoe, on behalf of the Cambridge University Association of British and Chinese University Students (ABACUS)
- Ayane Hirata, on behalf of Cambridge University Anglo-Japanese Society (CUAJS)
- Ryan Tey, on behalf of Cambridge University Malaysia Society (CUMaS)
- Xinyi Zhang, on behalf of the Cambridge University Chinese Undergraduate Society (CUCUS)
- Donovan Sim, on behalf of the Cambridge University Malaysia and Singapore Association (CUMSA)
- Hyung Seok (Ben) Jin, on behalf of the Cambridge University Korean Society (CUKS)
- Kerry Lui, on behalf of the Cambridge University Chinese Society (CUCS)
- Kanin Tantinon (Tae), on behalf of the Cambridge University Thai Society (CUTS)
- Tara Choudhury, Cambridge SU BME Officer