Paris sees rise in attacks against Asian residents
Staff Reporter
2015-06-21
A group of Chinese tourists in Montbeliard, France after their tour bus broke down. (Photo/CFP)
The Asian community in France has filed a petition to the government to end targeted violence and racism. Le Nouvel Observateur magazine published the story of an assaulted woman named Caroline Chu, a Paris resident, who is speaking out against the increasing prevalence of racial hate crimes in the capital, reports China's state-run China News Service.
Chu said she was knocked unconscious when two men attacked her in Belleville, an area of Paris with many ethnic Chinese residents. When she came round, she found herself lying on the ground with a bloody knee, holding her bag. The two assailants had run off after an unsuccessful attempt to steal her purse, according to the report.
Last year, Chu saw an elderly Asian woman assaulted in the same neighborhood. A young man who looked no more than 20 tried to rob the woman's purse but dashed off after failing to do so, said the report.
Chu said that she rarely talks about being assaulted unless someone brings up the topic because she feels ashamed.
Aubervilliers, a commune in the Paris suburbs, has also seen seven crimes against ethnic Asian residents apparently racist in nature, according to Chu's friend. The friend, who is white, was not attacked.
Most people in France cannot distinguish between Chinese and Vietnamese people, Chu said, and think people who look Asian must be Chinese. People with East Asian features get attacked more than any other minority group, she added.
China is getting wealthier and Asia is no longer "poor," which means that petty criminals see Asian tourists as sources of easy cash, Chu said. This would explain the attacks happening almost everywhere in France, she added.
France, especially Paris, is no longer a safe place for her, Chu said. She believes residents of Asian ethnicities are better treated in other countries in Europe, especially Spain and Germany.
Chu hopes the petition can bring change on this issue in France. If not, she is considering a move to the UK, the report said.
The petition was put together by the Asian community and over 50,000 people have signed it, including 40 Asian tourists and expat groups.
China and other emerging markets are seen as being on the rise while France and other industrialized nations are still grappling with economic recession. Protectionist values are seeping into France, and China is bearing the brunt of the frustration people hold towards their government, according to Xinhua. This allows parties like the National Front to gain wider support from the populace, the news agency said.
