Today an article was published noting that a Chinese opera singer sang a Russian song in the ruins of a theatre in Mariupol. The person’s name, photos and background information is accurately included in the published piece.
However, numerous individuals and accounts have chosen to ignore the facts that were published and instead have inundated an altogether innocent soprano, Ying Fang, with a torrent of despicable, violent, and hideously racist messages. Attempts to correct their errors – in that they were attacking an innocent bystander who has a different name – were met with even more vicious, hateful words based solely on the fact that Ying shares her ethnicity with the person reported in the article.
Ying has handled this situation with more grace than it deserves. These vile attacks against her are rooted in racism and are wholly unacceptable. No one should be attacked due to their ethnicity, and no one should be attacked because they share an ethnicity with a wrong doer. We resolutely condemn these actions.
We thank all the people who have corrected or reported erroneous posts on social media channels. We hope for a day when people will be more thoughtful and considered in their words and deeds and that no one is harassed and assaulted for who they are.
