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To: Department of Health and Social Care

Help STOP the abuse of Asian people in the UK over the coronavirus outbreak

Matt Hancock, please speak out very clearly and state that abusing people of Asian heritage or nationality (or anyone else) over the Covid-19 virus is NOT ON.

Why is this important?

Because we need unity in the UK and in the world. Also over this. Because abusing people over something they have no control over and have nothing to do with is not on.

Over the weekend (9 February 2020), I saw "Chinese in UK report 'shocking' levels of racism after coronavirus outbreak" in The Guardian:
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/feb/09/chinese-in-uk-report-shocking-levels-of-racism-after-coronavirus-outbreak

On Monday morning, the Department of Health and Social Care declared a 'serious and imminent threat' to public health.

Next, I read that Chinese and other Asian people in my home country the Netherlands were also experiencing abuse and that people there had already started a petition to stop this kind of abuse in the Netherlands.

I am hoping to nip this in the bud in the UK before it gets out of hand. I happen to have a garden-variety cold at the moment. I've been sneezing a lot. How would people respond to that if I were Chinese, I wondered, in view of what I had read.

As it was the Department of Health and Social Care that declared a 'serious and imminent threat' to public health over this particular coronavirus on Monday 10 February 2020, it should also do THIS. It is time for Matt Hancock, as the Secretary of Health and Social Care to step up.

PS
There is a sister petition, for people without UK home addresses: https://www.change.org/p/matt-hancock-help-stop-the-abuse-of-asian-people-in-the-uk-over-the-coronavirus-outbreak

Also, if you have suggestions for how to improve this petition or want to help me manage it, please contact me.

How it will be delivered

The petition will be delivered to the Secretary of Health, Matt Hancock, via e-mail or in person.

He is in the best position to do something about this abuse, along with his colleagues at other departments.

Category

Updates

2020-03-10 08:46:57 +0000

There was a second attack in London on 24 February:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-51736755

Also, I haven't heard back from the politicians I contacted (two local LibDem councillors, Sadiq Khan's office, Matt Hancock).

As the numbers of infection have now taken over the world, hopefully that signifies the end to these sad discriminatory reponses. Fingers crossed. Stay well.

2020-03-08 13:20:36 +0000

10 signatures reached

2020-02-18 23:11:39 +0000

Now also abuse reported in Southampton and in Portsmouth.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/18/chinese-people-uk-targeted-racist-abuse-over-coronavirus-southampton

I live in Portsmouth and have lived in Southampton before.

I have just contacted Portsmouth City Council, had already contacted Sadiq Khan over the attack in London and had also e-mailed Matt Hancock. It is time for someone in government to STEP UP and SPEAK OUT against this.

2020-02-16 11:40:32 +0000

Dammit. The first physical attack has occurred.

The victim was "violently assaulted and robbed by two teenagers shouting “coronavirus” at him" and filming the assault.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/16/they-yelled-coronavirus-first-british-attack-victim-east-asian-man

2020-02-15 22:48:32 +0000

At least this is good...

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: "I want to stress that any individuals who are discharged from hospital are now well and do not pose any public health risk to the public."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-51514628

2020-02-14 10:58:54 +0000

Thank you, all who have signed the petition so far.

The UK's 9th patient (a Chinese woman) has been blamed in the media for having gone to a hospital when she suspected she had the Covid-19 virus. What else was she supposed to have done? Stand on her head? Dance the hokey-pokey?

It also sounds like she is being blamed for having taken an Uber. She chose the quickest and least risky way to get herself to the right place. Had she walked or taken the tube, she would have encountered many more people along the way.

The fact that there was no signage at the hospital that told her where exactly she should go is the hospital management's fault, certainly not hers, but like most hospitals in the UK, it is likely understaffed so maybe the hospital's management is not to blame either.

Have a wonderful day, and weekend.

~Angelina

2020-02-12 15:53:13 +0000

I may need to add more to this petition:

The Brighton businessman identified as a “super-spreader” of the virus after he contracted it at a conference in Singapore is reported by the Times as feeling “very harassed” and “scared that [he’ll] become a scapegoat”.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/feb/12/super-spreaders-coronavirus

2020-02-12 11:30:38 +0000

Here is the Dutch petition, for those of you with Dutch roots:
https://www.petities.com/we_zijn_geen_virussen

2020-02-11 11:28:52 +0000

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/11/uk-man-linked-several-coronavirus-cases-speaks-hospital-steve-walsh

He looks pretty healthy to me. I am pleased he has spoken out and I am pleased he is doing well. This kind of thing can happen to anyone anywhere at any time.

2020-02-10 18:52:26 +0000

In the Netherlands, Matt Hancock's counterpart has already made a statement and called for the discrimination to stop. This is not what one does in a civilised society, he said.

Is the UK, by contrast, okay with it? Surely not. Sign the petition. Thanks.

https://nos.nl/artikel/2321843-minister-roept-iedereen-op-niet-discrimineren-om-coronavirus.html

2020-02-10 18:47:30 +0000

The Dutch petition has already been signed 24,000 times:

https://nos.nl/artikel/2322380-online-petitie-tegen-discriminatie-aziaten-vanwege-coronavirus.html