Japanese Students Attacked At Christchurch Bus Stop - Updated

There's a report in today's The Press, detailed on Stuff.co.nz telling the shocking story of how two Asian students were subjected to aggression and an unprovoked attack by a gang of skinheads in Christchurch (watch the video report here)

Two Asian students, said to be Japanese nationals, were sitting at the bus stop outside of The Palms shopping mall in Christchurch yesterday evening at 6.30pm when a group of 4 skinheads approached them. A witness saw the group of 4 males, all shirtless and wearing camouflage gear, walk up to the 2 students.

According to the witness the group, which had two pit bull dogs with them, started to hassle the students until one of them got up to leave whereupon he was punched in the face causing him to stumble on to the road. He was then punched again and the group calmly strolled away.

The witness to this moronic and cowardly attack on two defenseless kids tried to phone the emergency services but couldn't get through because of problems with the network, he then had to ask a bus driver to phone his office and ask them to call for help. Meanwhile the gang of thugs disappeared.

It would seem that Christchurch isn't a great place to be, for either visitors or locals. In August of last year a Fijian student was injured in a racist attack at Linwood College, his mother said that she had spoken the other parents in the Indian community and their children had been bullied too. Her son had also been taunted with names like "curry chicken", "black Indian" and "Indian boy." The family moved to NZ to escape the violence of Suva.

In September a man having part Indian and his friend were attacked a gang of jobs. This from Stuff

"Christchurch computer programmer Mike Nicholls, 24, said he was racially abused and punched in September last year by a group of men who had attacked a friend.

Nicholls, who is part Indian, said cans were thrown at his car and he was called "nigger" and told to "go home" after he intervened when a friend was attacked in a restaurant carpark on Moorhouse Ave. Police are investigating the incident."

Christchurch has recently earned itself the dubious title of 'Murder Capital Of New Zealand' which was re-inforced after the death of a 62 year old widow was brutally murdered in her own home a week ago.

This most recent assault has drawn a fair amount of contempt from the readers of Stuff who are very eager to talk about the issue of racism in Christchurch, allegedly a "haven for Neo-Nazis due to the lack of competition from other gangs" (see below) You may remember that a few days ago we spoke of how police in New Zealand still don't/won't collect data on racially motivated crimes, it is very hard to know the true extent of this problem both in Christchurch and throughout the country.

These are a few of the reader comments about on Stuff about racism in Christchurch:

Doug
"I am appalled by the lack of "retaliatory action" by the Asian community against the Neo-Nazis so far. But I guess the bulk of the Asian community knows that these can't be helped living in Christchurch, like they say, "You can't complain about the noise if you move in near the airport." This Japanese student finally understood the toll for enjoying the significantly cheaper living costs of Christchurch compared to Auckland. He should also understans why disproportionalely greater Japanese New Zealand residents reside in Auckland than Christchurch in contrast to other Asians."

Sacwehc
"I am most disappointed that the police and other authority repeatedly deny there is rascism in the city. As long as they refuse to admit there is a problem, there will be little effort to address and tackle the situation. re they waiting for a more serious attack? Unprovoked assaults that leaves someone bleeding and broken is not serious enough? What if THEY are at the receiving end? Will that and only that spur them into action? We have a racism problem, FACE IT! DEAL WITH IT! That is JUSTICE and the PEOPLE'S RIGHTS!"

NationalistRE
I am a frequent poster on japantoday.com, I have become aware from my New Zeland sources that this Asian student is Japanese and I am ashamed that a Yamato must become victimised by Neo-Nazis who are not the finest specimens on Western Europeans, let alone the Anglo-Celtic race! The police insist it was not a racially motivated attack despite eye witness reports to the contrary.
My source tells me that Christchurch is a haven for Neo-Nazis because of the lack of presence of competing mutliracial gangs like those active in the North Island. Then it would seem the South Islanders are cowards for not actively confronting these Neo-Nazis in both lawful and unlawful fronts.
Although it would be a tall order for New Zealand to implement solid anti-hate/Nazi laws like those in France and Germany, they can take comfort in the fact that Christchurch is not an important economic centre for non-whites who could flee to Auckland if they see any more of these Neo-Nazis out and about. Furthermore, it was fortunate this Far Easterner victim was not from a ethnic group that has significantly more economic clout in this city like the Chinese or the Koreans!"

Update 27 February 2010

"Police will not log Chch attack as race-based" The Press (link)
Police have no immediate plans to collect statistics on racially motivated crimes.

An attack on a 24-year-old Japanese man in Christchurch this week raised concerns about hate crimes in the city. Police maintained the incident was not motivated by race.

Race Relations Commissioner Joris de Bres renewed a call for police to record any racially motivated attack separately so action could be taken and minority groups would have greater confidence in the police.

A national police spokesman said police did not gather statistics specifically related to "hate crime"...

...According to Britain's Home Office, a hate crime is an offence motivated by hostility or prejudice based upon the victim's disability, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.

The Home Office says research has shown hate crimes cause greater psychological harm than crimes without a motivation of prejudice, create fear and encourage communities to turn on each other."

Why is there NO anti-hate crime legislation in New Zealand? is New Zealand alone in the developed world in not having it?

See also blog posts:
Everyday race hate rife in Christchurch 
Covert Racial Prejudice commonplace in NZ


For other posts about the problem of racism in New Zealand click: HERE

Today's posts - click here