Stars including Gemma Chan have voiced support for a campaign raising money for the East and South East Asian (ESEA) community amid an increase in hate crime.
Presenter Alexa Chung and actors Henry Golding and Benedict Wong also encouraged followers to donate to the Stop Asian Hate GoFundMe page, which will be distributed to various UK organisations.
It comes after a similar fund in the US raised more than 6 million US dollars (£4,256,910).
The star-studded list of UK supporters also includes singer-songwriter Rina Sawayama, British Vogue editor Edward Enninful, model Soo Joo Park, Labour MP Sarah Owen and pop singer Sinead Harnett.
Announcing the fund on Instagram, Chan said: “Whilst much of the focus regarding anti-Asian attacks has been on the US, we know the problem is global – including a disturbing rise in hate crimes against people of ESEA appearance in the UK. In London alone attacks have tripled over the past year.
“Like many others, I worry for family members every time they leave the house or use public transport.
“My mum has worked for the NHS for most of her life – she and my dad have been followed and subjected to a number of verbal assaults since the beginning of the pandemic.
“Whilst I’m relieved that these attacks didn’t become physical, unfortunately that is often not the case, such as the unprovoked attack on a 26-year-old woman in Edinburgh last week which ended in her hospitalisation, the vicious beating of a university lecturer who was out jogging in Southampton, and the physical assault of Singaporean student Jonathan Mok on Oxford Street, amongst many others.
“What’s even more concerning is that the recorded figures are likely an under-estimation because many incidents go unreported, both to the police and in the media.
“There is an urgent need for increased awareness and support, so I am proud to help launch this fund, which will provide grants to grassroots organisations supporting ESEA and broader communities. Please share and donate if you can at GoFundMe.com/ESEA.”
Six women of Asian descent were among eight people killed at massage parlours in the US state of Georgia in March.
There was also a 179% increase in hate crime in London around the start of the UK lockdown compared with the same period in the previous year, according to Britain’s East and South East Asian Network.
Windrush campaigner Patrick Vernon and charity Black Minds Matter are also supporting the campaign.
– Donations can be made at https://uk.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-esea-hate
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