Advertisement
Advertisement
Coronavirus pandemic
Get more with myNEWS
A personalised news feed of stories that matter to you
Learn more
Massimiliano Martigli Jiang makes his point in a video that has received wide media coverage in Italy. Photo: Handout

I am not a virus, I am a human being: Italian-Chinese man’s video spreads anti-racist message on social media

  • After displays of xenophobia since the coronavirus outbreak began, public plea in Florence prompts ‘beautiful’ response
  • Video is widely shared on Facebook, amid wave of social media campaigns such as Twitter hashtag #JeNeSuisPasUnVirus
When Massimiliano Martigli Jiang stood blindfolded in the middle of Florence next to a sign reading “I am not a virus, I am a human being, free me from prejudice”, he was overwhelmed by the touching reactions he got from fellow residents and tourists.

Jiang, who is Italian-Chinese, last week uploaded to Facebook, a video of his experiences that got more than 10,000 shares and was covered widely in Italian media.

The video showed Jiang standing masked and blindfolded outside some of Florence’s most recognisable landmarks. Some passers-by stopped and stared, while others took selfies with him. Later on in the video, people hugged Jiang and took off his mask and blindfold.

“I made this video because I felt compelled to convey the meaning of the words I had written on the sign,” he told the South China Morning Post. “I was very surprised by the reaction.”

As in other Western countries, there has been a surge in xenophobic incidents targeting Chinese people in Italy in the wake of the deadly coronavirus outbreak which has infected more than 60,000 people and killed over 1,300 worldwide.

Italy has two confirmed coronavirus cases – a tourist couple from Wuhan who arrived in Milan on January 23 – and has suspended all flights to China.

There are more than 300,000 Chinese people living in Italy. Successive waves of migration, primarily from the coastal city of Wenzhou in the coastal Zhejiang province, have resulted in large Chinese populations in cities including Milan and Prato, 17km (11 miles) northwest of Florence.

Jeremy Lin ‘saddened’ by coronavirus-related racism in US

Examples of local xenophobia recently reported in Italian media include two Chinese tourists being spat at by a group of children in Venice, and two Asian people being verbally abused by a passer-by in Florence who called them “disgusting” and “filthy”.

The latter of those incidents inspired Jiang, 29, to make his video on February 2. The video was publicised by UGIC, an Italian-Chinese youth association, of which he is a member.

“Recently, there has been a lot more Sinophobia in Italy, but it has always been present,” said Jiang, who immigrated to Italy from Wenzhou with his parents when he was seven years old and now lives in Florence. “I used to notice it in passing when going out with my friends.

“The coronavirus problem is a worldwide problem. I hope they will find the remedy for this virus as soon as possible.”

Similar home-grown social media campaigns have emerged in the past few weeks, including the Twitter hashtag #JeNeSuisPasUnVirus, kick-started by the French Asian community to highlight xenophobic incidents they experienced.

“This video was one of those things that made it hard for me to sleep the night before – it made me anxious waiting for the shots,” Jiang wrote of the footage on Facebook last week.

“But now, thanks to your beautiful words, you have made me feel extremely moved!”

Purchase the China AI Report 2020 brought to you by SCMP Research and enjoy a 20% discount (original price US$400). This 60-page all new intelligence report gives you first-hand insights and analysis into the latest industry developments and intelligence about China AI. Get exclusive access to our webinars for continuous learning, and interact with China AI executives in live Q&A. Offer valid until 31 March 2020.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: anti-racist message spreads in Italy
Post