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Anna Zhang, an immigrant from Thailand, became the latest victim in a series of recent attacks targeting Asian passengers on Auckland, New Zealand, buses.
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What happened: Zhang, a student and part-time hotel worker, was allegedly assaulted by a group of teenagers who attempted to rob her on a No. 70 bus traveling from Botany to Britomart in Downtown Auckland on Aug. 2. After trying to retrieve her stolen bus card, her assailants repeatedly kicked her in the abdomen. While she did not sustain serious physical injuries, the incident took a toll on her mental health. She also expressed regret over her decision to immigrate, telling the New Zealand Herald, “If I could turn back time, I would not choose New Zealand.”
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The big picture: The latest attack is part of a disturbing trend of violence against Asians on Auckland’s buses. On June 28, a 39-year-old woman struck a 16-year-old Asian student with a metal rod, resulting in damages to the victim’s teeth. On July 22, a 45-year-old woman was filmed pushing and spitting at Asian Kiwi passengers, demanding that they “go back” to their “own country.” Both incidents reportedly occurred on the same No. 70 route. The suspects in both cases have also been arrested. “Most public transport customers are respectful of others, but these small number of incidents are of course really concerning, and we are taking it seriously,” Rachel Cara, Auckland Transport’s general manager of public transport operations, told The Times.
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