As COVID cases rise, hate crimes towards the Asian community follow suit
Kung Fu Tea Columbia’s shattered glass door is just one of the results of the break in to the location on Thursday, Feb. 11. Source: @kftcolumbia on Instagram
The one-year anniversary of COVID-19’s emergence in the United States is marked not only by an increase in deaths, an increase in pandemic fatigue, and increased public health measures but also by an increase in hate crimes towards Asian communities worldwide.
Not far from the University of Maryland, College Park campus, six businesses were vandalized on the night of Thursday, Feb. 11 in Howard County. One of the businesses, a national chain specialized in bubble teas, Kung Fu Tea at the Mall in Columbia was a victim of these crimes.
Katelyn Wang, a UMD freshman majoring in kinesiology, is a loyal KFT Columbia employee when she is home on break. She heard the news through a group text with her boss and other employees.
“Growing up in an Asian household, we are generally taught to be quiet about these things and to accept that it’s just how the world works. But especially recently in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and just having this internal fear of being treated wrongfully for something we really didn’t have control over isn’t right,” Wang said.
Her coworker, Maggie Zhang, a freshman biology major on the pre-med track at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, shared her reactions.
“My immediate reaction was one of shock and anger. KFT has been my workplace when I’m home for over a year, so the vandalism hit especially close to my heart,” Zhang reflected.
Along with Kung Fu Tea, the multiple businesses that were vandalized that night are Urban Hot Pot, Bonchon and Corner Bakery in Columbia, as well as Coal Fire Pizza and East Moon Asian Bistro in Ellicott City.
While The Baltimore Sun reported that law enforcement has not yet determined the motive of the perpetrators, there is a common thread between the crimes: four out of six targets were Asian-owned businesses vandalized on the eve of the Chinese Lunar New Year.
“My reaction was shocked and really disgusted upon hearing that Asian-owned institutions were attacked because it happened on Lunar New Year, a time when we are celebrating and wishing each other luck for the new year,” Wang said. “This was such a damaging event that really impacted a lot of people in the Asian community because of how unexpected and ill-timed it was.”
The local increase in crimes toward Asian-owned establishments matches the rise in hate crimes toward the Asian community nationwide. Data collected by the New York Police Department shows that in the past year, there has been a 1900% increase in Asian hate crimes. This statistic aligns closely with the timeline of the global pandemic, as these hate crimes had previously been on a consistent decline before 2020, according to the NYPD.
“When the Black Lives Matter movement took over the country last year, I did not know exactly what it felt like to be targeted solely for my race…Now that it’s happening to my community, I have a better understanding of how painful hate crimes are,” Zhang stated.
UMD’s Asian American Student Union released an official statement regarding this increase in hate crimes in the community.
“Incidents of local Asian and Asian-owned businesses being vandalized remind us that anti-Asian sentiment is not confined to the streets of New York City or the Bay Area — prejudice is embedded in all spheres of daily life,” the statement read.
While COVID-19 continues to affect many aspects of daily life, hatred and divisiveness have become even more prevalent. When asked what she would like to see from allies to the Asian community during these times, Zhang responded that while education and spreading awareness are key, it is important to “go about life with an open heart and an open mind” and to maintain human decency.