Family chased by dog, told to take coronavirus 'back to China' in racist attack

A Filipino family have been chased by a man’s dog and told to take their COVID-19 “back to China” in a racist attack in New Zealand.

A Filipino family have been chased by a man’s dog and told to take the coronavirus “back to China” in a racist attack in an Auckland neighbourhood.

A 12-year-old boy was chased by a dog as its owner’s friend told him, his parents and his four-year-old brother to “go back to China” and “take your COVID-19 with you”.

The boy’s father, who wanted to be known as Rob, said he, his wife and their sons were walking around their Swanson neighbourhood on Saturday night when they spotted a Siberian husky about 100 metres away who he believed was acting erratically.

But as the dog came closer, Rob started back at it in an attempt to deter it, the NZ Herald reports.

He then quickly took his youngest son out of his pram and used it as a barrier between his family and the dog, which he said was trying to attack them.

“This dog caught scent of us and approached us and he was really going to attack,” Rob said.

When one of the dog’s owners came out, Rob reportedly told them, “You really need to control your animal … because I’m ready to hit your dog with this pram”.

Another man then appeared from the same house, asking whether the dog had bitten Rob’s son. Rob then said he told the man that wasn’t the point, and that he needed to control his animal.

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Rob said the dog approached the family like ‘he was really going to attack’. Picture: Supplied

Rob said the dog then chased his son down the street. Picture: Supplied

The man, who Rob said appeared to be in his 40s, then got really angry and looked like he was about to hit him – which is when Rob’s wife started videoing the argument.

The disagreement then turned into what he describes as a racist attack, with the dog owner’s friend saying: “Go back to China you bloody … take your COVID-19 with you.”

At least 13 neighbours came out from their homes to see what the commotion was and tried to intervene. One neighbour can be seen using his hands and body to diffuse the situation.

However, the man accused of being racist told the Herald he was mortified at being portrayed that way, and said the words came out in “the heat of the moment” after the father started yelling at him and threatening to hit the dog with his pram.

He reportedly told Rob he would call the police because Rob was assaulting him, but acknowledge he shouldn’t have told the family to “take your COVID-19 with you”.

Both parties involved said they were still shaken from the incident. Rob’s family have laid a complaint with police about the racial attack, and another with Animal Control about the dog being loose.

The dog’s owner, and his friend, are now also laying assault charges against Rob.

A police spokesman confirmed to the Herald they had received a report relating to a verbal altercation which took place in Swanson on Saturday night and were making inquiries into the incident.

Auckland Council Animal Management manager Kerri Fergusson said staff were called out to an incident involving a husky, and were also continuing to make inquiries into the dog’s whereabouts after being unable to locate it at the provided address or in the surrounding streets.

The incident comes as New Zealand’s Race Commissioner Meng Foon warned more racial issues, targeted at Asian people in particular, could occur as business around the nation slowly returns to usual.

“It is actually going to be quite dangerous for Asian people more particularly,” Mr Foon said.

“There has been an increase in reports to police and NetSafe analyst of Artificial Intelligence data in lockdown it was more focused on internet abuse, but as people come out there’s going to be more visibility so there is a high probability there are going to be more race-based issues come to the fore.”

Mr Foon said racism and discrimination would not be tolerated anywhere.

“I know it is a very sensitive time during COVID-19 so we as a commission are doing all we want to put out messages regarding how to keep safe,” he added.