(Source)
Anna Zhang, an immigrant from Thailand, is the latest victim in a series of recent attacks on Asian passengers on buses in Auckland, New Zealand.
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What happened: Zhang, a student and part-time hotel worker, was allegedly attacked by a group of teenagers who attempted to rob her on the 70 bus from Botany to Britomart in Downtown Auckland on 2 August. After trying to retrieve her stolen bus pass, her attackers repeatedly kicked her in the stomach. Although she did not sustain any serious physical injuries, the incident took a toll on her mental health. She also expressed regret over her decision to immigrate, telling the New Zealand Herald“If I could turn back time, I wouldn’t choose New Zealand.”
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The big picture: The latest attack is part of a disturbing trend of violence against Asians on Auckland buses. On June 28, a 39-year-old woman was beat a 16-year-old Asian student with a metal rod, resulting in damage to the victim’s teeth. On July 22, a 45-year-old woman filmed pushing and spitting to Asian Kiwi passengers, who demanded they “go back” to their “own country.” Both incidents are said to have occurred on the same route No. 70. The suspects in both cases have also been arrested. “Most public transport customers are respectful to others, but this small number of incidents is of course really concerning and we are taking it seriously,” Rachel Cara, Auckland Transport’s general manager of public transport, told The Times.
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