Common Council

Re: Stop Asian Hate: Response to the Egregious Attack on an Asian Student 6/14/2022

Re: Stop Asian Hate | Response to the Egregious Attack on an Asian Student 6/14/2022

Madison, WI, June 18, 2022 - Last Tuesday night, an Asian UW-Madison student committed to a journey many of us make each day--a walk home down University Ave. The student was confronted, on his walk, by five men (some white and some Black). The men savagely beat the student, leaving him dazed and with visible injuries. I condemn this egregious attack and all other seemingly racially motivated attacks against Asian students over the years. 

The Asian community at UW-Madison has been a centerpiece for racially motivated aggression. On the same Tuesday night of the aforementioned attack, there were two other attacks against Asian students. The second involved two Chinese students and the third involved a Pakistani student. Last fall, a white man spat in an Asian student's face and berated her with an onslaught of racial slurs on the corner of West Dayton near Ogg. In Spring 2020, perpetrators graffitied "It's from China #CHINESEVIRUS" and "[expletive] the Chinese government", in Library Mall. 

One would think that the host of racially motivated attacks on the UW Asian community would jolt University administration and the UW Madison Police Department to make actionable initiatives to stop the harm. The attacks did not. UW's response: more gaslighting, fake promises of solidarity, and victim-blaming. 

On June 17th, 2022, the UW-Madison Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, Lori Reesor, UWPD Chief Kristen Roman, and Deputy Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion, Dr. Lavar J. Charleston, sent an email to all students claiming that the two incidents this past Tuesday "did not involve UW-Madison students" and the victims were "from various backgrounds". UWPD further falsely claimed that the Asian student in the first incident "did not report any injuries". 

We must condemn the attack on the Asian community. We must also condemn the attack's strongest ally--UW-Madison complacency. It falls on us in the greater Madison community to stand in solidarity with our Asian students. To listen rather than gaslight. To take action rather than make fake promises. To elevate the voices of Asian students rather than victim-blame. 

I encourage all of us to look to the Asian community's guidance on how to best support them. For further guidance, please visit @wisc_asian_right on Instagram and keep up to date with events regarding this matter. 

Peace, love, and solidarity,

Juliana Bennett

###