Olivia Munn is bringing attention to anti-Asian hate crimes in America. The half-Chinese actor wrote an ardent Instagram post on February 9 about the increased number of crimes against Asian and Asian American people living in the United States. Anti-Asian rhetoric has increased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, partly due to Donald Trump calling the virus the “Chinese virus.” Outlets, including The Washington Post, have reported about the frequent attacks happening in the United States.
“Over the past few days I’ve found myself at a loss for words at the rise of anti-Asian hate crimes,” Munn wrote. “The racist, verbal, and physical assaults have left my community fearful to step outside. These hate crimes have spiked since Covid and continue to increase even though we ask for help, even though we ask our fellow Americans to be outraged for us, even though we ask for more mainstream media coverage.”
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She continued, “Hate crimes against Asian Americans have become so bad that in just the past week a 91-year-old Asian American man was attacked from behind as he walked down the street in Oakland, an 84-year-old Thai American was murdered in San Francisco, a 64-year-old Vietnamese American woman was assaulted in San Jose, and a Filipino American man was slashed in the face in Manhattan.”
One of the crimes Olivia Munn referenced in her post occurred in San Francisco and resulted in San Francisco’s mayor and police chief promising to address concerns surrounding anti-Asian hate crimes. The efforts to combat the increase in crimes is also happening at the federal level. President Joe Biden already signed an executive order that will help combat xenophobia against the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Olivia Munn concluded her post, writing, “To simply exist as a minority in this country is seen as a protest to some. We need help amplifying the outrage. We need help to feel safe in our country. We need help to be safe in our country.”
