An attack on two Chinese students by a gang of teenaged robbers on a Sydney train has sparked a social media storm in China, less than two weeks after the murders of two Chinese students in Los Angeles. From The Sydney Morning Herald (via Economic Observer):
A translation from Xuan’s blog on the Chinese social media site Weibo reads: “I really wish all of this is just a nightmare. However, the smell of blood in my mouth and body pains reminds me that this city is so dangerous.
“A gang of hooligans attacked us. Our noses are fractured and our bodies are covered in blood. My friend’s cheekbone was crushed. They attacked us with glass and burnt us with lit cigarettes. My face is burnt and totally disfigured! Worst of all, I really hated their racist comments.
“They were calling us Asian dogs and pussies while they were beating us. When my friend tried to wipe blood from his nose, a teenaged girl stuffed my friend’s mouth with her tampon removed from her pants.”
Another woman passenger, who was also targeted by the thieves, allegedly told the attackers to “rob them, they are Asian and they have got money”.
The Herald reports that the online response has been one of “outrage” and “disgust” at the attack. In contrast, many reactions to the LA shootings expressed vitriol toward the victims, after it was prominently and falsely reported that they had been driving a $60,000 BMW.
