Protest organiser Leon Lee, who is from China, said he was there to encourage his own people to speak out if they experienced racism or violence. “Honestly, I haven’t experienced racism. New Zealand is one of the most friendly places I’ve been to.” But he said the country has a long, dark history of anti-Asian sentiment, going back to 1881 when Cantonese settlers who wanted to mine gold were taxed, in an effort to stop too many Chinese people migrating to New Zealand.
Joseph Johnson/Stuff “Last year with Covid-19, that racism has really amplified.” In Christchurch alone, Lee heard of incidents where Asian parents at Rolleston School were emailed during the pandemic, and told them to keep their children at home.