Recently, a video of a Chinese American teenager being beaten by multiple individuals has been circulating online, sparking concern. Councilwoman Zhuang Wenyi held a dialogue event in the park where the incident took place to address the community’s worries. Parents expressed heartache over seeing Chinese people attacking other Chinese people, while community members pointed out that the case reflected social issues brought about by “left-behind children”.
The incident occurred at the Rainbow Playground on 55th Street and 6th Avenue in Brooklyn. Several Chinese teenagers in their teens surrounded and assaulted a black-clad Chinese teenager on the playground on the afternoon of the 21st. They punched and kicked the black-clad teenager who was huddled on the ground. The situation ended after passersby intervened, dispersing the group. The incident was captured on video and circulated widely within the Chinese community.
During the dialogue event yesterday, a parent, Mrs. Jenny Liu, expressed deep sadness over the assault on the child. She emphasized that this was not an isolated incident, citing another incident where a friend’s child was severely beaten near McKinley Park on 8th Avenue, unable to stand up straight due to chest injuries. There have been cases of Chinese children bullying and harassing elderly Chinese and young children, with the elders being arrested when they fought back. “This is just what we see, there is more that is not spoken of.”
Mrs. Liu believes that children who err should be punished, and parents should apologize to the victims’ parents. “As guardians, parents must take on these responsibilities.”
Another Chinese parent, Mrs. Wendy, initially believed that the community and park were safe. However, after watching the video, she was shocked and found it unacceptable. She also noted the lack of intervention from adults present at the scene, a confusing issue. Wendy mentioned that her daughter often plays in that park, making her more concerned about the incident.
To improve the situation, Wendy suggested that parents need to educate their children first, teaching them the importance of mutual respect and communication in society. She also emphasized the need for legal education and hoped for more proactive involvement from the police.
Wendy also pointed out that many children in the local community are taken care of by their grandparents, while parents may be busy working in other states and not around their children. This family structure can lead to a generation gap and communication issues in education, especially with cultural differences between China and the U.S.
“Left-behind children” are a phenomenon unique to the Fujian community. In many Chinese families, especially first-generation immigrant families, due to one or both parents working in other states, many children born in the U.S. are sent back to their ancestral villages in China. They return to the U.S. when it’s time for school, being cared for by older generations or family friends, living separated from their parents for an extended period. Children in such situations are more prone to feelings of loneliness and anxiety compared to regular children, becoming a type of “left-behind child”.
Wendy sees this as a societal issue, noting, “Adults only know how to give children money, but their psychological well-being is not fully cared for, leading many children to become wild and only resolve issues through violence.” She urges parents to be more involved in their children’s growth and education, warning that this problem may worsen with an increase in new immigrants.
Community advocate Ling Fei stated that such issues among second-generation Chinese are particularly prominent in Chinese communities with high concentrations of new immigrants. He has heard feedback multiple times about Chinese students at certain schools, especially those from new immigrant families, struggling academically and getting involved in street gang activities. Some parents even mentioned that these children see bullying behavior as “cool” and “empowering”, targeting vulnerable young Chinese for harassment, preying on the weak.
“This highlights the severity of the problem with second-generation Chinese in our community, the lack of family education, and the need for anti-bullying and anti-gang education,” Ling Fei said.
Retired police lieutenant Chen Xueli, currently running for State Senator in the 17th District, expressed deep disappointment over the bullying behavior among community children. He emphasized that bullying does not bring true joy and satisfaction, and true coolness lies in doing good. He urged bullies not to disappoint anyone, including themselves and the entire community.
Joyce Xie, running for District Leader in the 49th District, a member of the 20th School District’s Board of Education, involved in the PTA and SOT, and a mother of three, stated that while many have expressed anti-bullying sentiments, the actual number of parents actively participating in anti-bullying efforts is low.
She pointed out that in schools, when children face issues, they often do not report them, making it difficult for the school to intervene. “Although some parents mention in community settings that their children are being bullied, without formal reports to the school, the school cannot know or take action.”
Deputy Chief Hsu Hui of the 72nd Precinct mentioned the hope for parents to step up or call 911 to inform the police, enabling the police to investigate. The precinct will increase patrols in the area. Asian Community Coordinator and Police Officer Gina Gao encouraged parents to bravely report incidents and promptly alert authorities. She noted that some victims’ parents fear retaliation and might not report incidents, hindering the police from assisting the community further.
Sabrina Lin, founder of the Asian Community Center (ACC), stated that they have established an anti-bullying center and will hold regular seminars in collaboration with the police at the ACC building, spreading awareness on anti-bullying initiatives. In cases of school bullying, parents can seek help from ACC at 746 61st Street in Brooklyn. She urged immediate reporting of bullying incidents to schools, teachers, community organizations, legislators, and the police when identified.