What a brawl at a rally against Asian hate and the BN(O) influx of Hongkongers can tell us about political fires between Chinese groups in the UK
- Experts warn there may be more confrontations between pro-Beijing groups and newly arrived Hong Kong immigrants over differing political views
- Hostility towards Hongkongers on social media and in the streets in recent months has caused them to feel insecure in their new home, says manager of group helping new arrivals to Britain
Experts have warned there could be more confrontations between pro-Beijing groups and newly arrived Hong Kong immigrants, as established Chinese organisations are dealing with an influx of people holding different political views.
On Saturday, an anti-Asian hate rally was held in London’s Chinatown, organised by the Min Quan Legal Centre, the Monitoring Group and the Federation of UK Fujian Chinese, with several organisations including the London Chinatown Chinese Association supporting the event.
A leaflet for the rally accused government leaders of using “anti-China rhetoric during the pandemic”, culminating in violence against Chinese people and communities.
In the first three months of 2020, according to British police, there were at least 267 recorded hate crimes against Chinese, East Asian and Southeast Asian people in Britain, compared with 375 in the whole of 2019.
Organisers said on social media that the rally was a peaceful anti-racism gathering, accusing a counter-group of heckling them.
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Fight breaks out in London’s Chinatown at rally to combat racism against Asians
Jabez Lam, manager of the Hackney Chinese Community Services, which has been assisting new arrivals from Hong Kong, said the violence erupted after the rally had finished. Lam, who was at the event, said a group of about six men had charged at the retreating Hong Kong group.
