Brooklyn residents denounce anti-Chinese graffiti

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An obscene and racist graffiti targeting Chinese women scrawled on Brooklyn walls has spurred calls for the NYPD to further investigate the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice, amid widespread condemnation.

The obscene message was spray-painted on the exteriors of two Asian-owned businesses and on an elevated train column facing a third shop in Bensonhurst in Brooklyn, the most populous borough of New York City. The same graffiti was reported in at least three other locations.

During a rally on Monday, the leaders of the Chinese-American community joined Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and Council member Mark Treyger in calling for the NYPD to investigate the matter.

The graffiti sprayed on the walls of Bensonhurst. /Photo via NYPD

"This is one of the sickest hate crimes that we have experienced in this neighborhood in recent memory," Treyger said. "We condemn, denounce and reject this type of hate and intolerance."

Locals also rejected the hateful message and said such behavior will not be tolerated in their neighborhood. Several Chinese immigrants said they were heartbroken over the graffiti.

The Executive Director of the United Chinese Association of Brooklyn Stephanie Wong, who has lived in the neighborhood for 35 years, said she had never seen a crime like this, noting that she and her neighbors feel scared and threatened.

"This isn’t funny, this is hate," she said.

Brooklyn Borough Council member Mark Treyger. /Photo via Guangcha

The case is currently being investigated by the 62nd Precinct and the NYPD's Hate Crime task force. According to police, investigators have surveillance footage of the suspect but have not released it to the public. No arrests have been made so far.

This is not the first time that insulting graffiti targeting Chinese were found in Brooklyn. In 2010, hateful words saying "The Chinese Su** Co**" were sprayed on the wall of a subway entrance.

Other bias crimes that have occurred in Brooklyn are also currently being probed, including a subway attack on a South Korean national last month.

Hateful words found at the entrance of a subway station in Brooklyn. /Photo via Guangcha

The borough president's office is offering a 1,000-US-dollar reward for information leading to an arrest.

"This wasn’t an accident, this wasn’t a child writing on a wall," Adams said. "No, this was a premeditated action and we won’t stand for it."