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France's Ethnic Chinese Community, Other Asians Complain of
Coronavirus-Linked Discrimination

Lisa Bryant

   PARIS - France announced its sixth case of the new coronavirus this
   week and repatriated a planeload of its citizens from the
   virus-stricken Chinese city of Wuhan. But back at home, Chinese and
   others in the wider East Asian community there say they are becoming
   targets for discrimination.

   Just as fast as the coronavirus is spreading, so too seems to be
   prejudice. In Japan, South Korea and Italy -- and now France. This week
   the French hashtag #JeNeSuisPasUnVirus -- I Am Not A Virus -- was
   trending on Twitter.

   One Chinese man interviewed on France's BFMTV -- his face hidden so he
   wouldn't be recognized -- described walking out of a Paris gym and
   being accosted by teenagers, who laughed and said, "There's coronavirus
   coming."

   Ethnic Chinese aren't the only ones being targeted. One account on
   social media describes a Vietnamese woman being shunned by those around
   her. Other East Asians say fellow passengers on public transport move
   away from them, or put scarves in front of their faces.

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