Singaporean student in London bashed after responding to racist coronavirus taunts

Jonathan Mok has lived in London for two years and was walking along Oxford Street in the middle of the city when he was assaulted by a group of strangers

He said racism has been stirred by the coronavirus, adding: ‘I’ve had friends who were rejected by shops in another European city because they were Chinese’

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Jonathan Mok, who said he has been studying in London for two years, posted two photos of himself showing a swollen eye on his Facebook page. Photo: Handout

Published: 3:17pm, 3 Mar 2020Updated: 8:29pm, 3 Mar 2020

A Singaporean student in London has recalled being assaulted after he reacted to passers-by who were making comments about his race and the deadly coronavirus outbreak.

Jonathan Mok, 23, has lived in London for two years while studying at University College London but returned to Singapore during his summer holidays.

He said he was walking along Oxford Street in London on February 24 when he heard a racist comment and the word “coronavirus” from some youths.

Mok then turned to look at them, because he did not want them to think he was afraid and that “Asians are easily bullied”.

“I felt really angry,” Mok said on Tuesday. “It is ridiculous people are being targeted for being Asian.”

After he looked at them, Mok said one of the youths shouted: “Don’t you dare look at me.”

The youths – three or four men and a woman – then approached him, Mok said, adding that they “seemed no older than 20 years old, but were all more than a head taller than me”.