LettersGeorge Floyd protests: do black lives matter to Hong Kong protesters?

Name: Black Lives Matter protests held across Asia
Uploaded: 2020-06-19T22:30:07.000Z
Duration: 3 min 13 s
Description: Black Lives Matter protests held across Asia

When Hongkongers protested against alleged police brutality, many people around the world supported them. But Hong Kong protesters have been largely silent as Americans have risen in protest against police abuse of power

2-MIN READ2-MIN

Protesters march on Fifth Avenue in New York on June 12 to protest against police brutality and racial inequality in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd. Photo: AFP

Letters

Published: 6:30am, 20 Jun 2020Updated: 6:30am, 20 Jun 2020

In recent weeks, there have been protests against racism in many countries around the world, from North America to Europe to Asia. There have even been protests in societies without large black populations, such as South Korea, Taiwan and Japan. Asian-Americans have also been galvanised into supporting black Americans in their fight against oppression and injustice.

A demographic that was previously portrayed as the quiet model minority in the US has seen many of its members refuse to be the pawns used to divide and conquer minorities. After enduring so much racism during Covid-19, this new generation of Asian-Americans has realised that you’re only a model minority until you’re not.

One day you’re admired and lauded for keeping your head down, working hard and not making a fuss in the face of injustice. The next day you’re a disease carrier to be shunned, abused and castigated.

The Covid-19 racism against Asians can’t ever compare with the centuries of slavery, segregation and institutionalised racism black people have suffered for so long. But it has definitely been a wake-up call for Asian-Americans to make a tough choice: to stay submissive, quiet and not stir the pot, or to show some courage and stand with other minorities in the face of oppression and injustice.

03:13

Black Lives Matter protests held across Asia

Interestingly, Hong Kong has been relatively quiet in response to the systemic racism and police brutality suffered by black people. When Hong Kong’s pan-democrats and “yellow ribbons” protested loudly against alleged police brutality and the loss of freedom in Hong Kong as they saw it, Americans, Europeans and other Asians mostly believed and supported them.