A woman in the UK was knocked unconscious after she stood up for her Chinese friend who was accused of having coronavirus.
Meera Solanki was out with friends in Birmingham on Saturday night celebrating her birthday when a group of "Asian men" targeted the group.
Later in the evening when Solanki and her friends left the bar, one "aggressive" man followed them outside and started yelling at her Chinese friend.
"He said 'take your f***ing coronavirus and take it back home'," Solanki told Birmingham Live.
She said although she shouted and tried to push him away, he punched her in the head and she was knocked unconscious.
Solanki spent six hours at Heartlands Hospital where she was treated for a concussion. She couldn't return to work for one week.
"I was so shocked and horrified by his aggressive behaviour and horrific words. As I lay unconscious he continued to threaten my friends and abuse them before walking away calmly with his group of friends who did nothing to stop him or help me."
A spokesperson for Birmingham Chinese Society says there's always been abuse, but the coronavirus has given some people a reason to be racist.
They added that there is a misunderstanding over why some Chinese people wear face masks, which may add to the tension.
"We wear masks to protect others from our coughs and sneezes. Some wear them as a protection against pollution. Some women wear them because they don't want to be seen without make-up. We do it to protect others, not ourselves."
The Midlands Police is investigating the incident.
