A British Chinese woman has accused the management of an Asda store in London of failing to protect her from a racist man who threatened to physically assault her inside their premises.
In a Twitter thread, Eve Cong described how the man followed her into the store along Peckham High Street on July 13, being “racist” and threatening to punch her for no reason.
Unfortunately, no one stepped in to help her.
“He followed me through the front of the store, into the first aisle where people just stared and did nothing.”
The man allegedly went on to threaten her, hurling a bunch of racial slurs.
“I thought he would stop when I didn’t entertain him but he continued to threaten me and use various Asian slurs — I’m Chinese. He called me a filthy mongoloid. I’ll let you come up with all the other Asian slurs. It was clear I wasn’t with him and on my own.”
I thought he would stop when I didn’t entertain him but he continued to threaten me and use various asian slurs – I’m Chinese. He called me a filthy mongoloid, I’ll let you come up with all the other asian slurs. It was clear I wasn’t with him and on my own.
— eve (@evecong) July 14, 2019
“I tried to lead him to the centre, at the front of the store seeking help. I was by the self-service and main till, entrance and it was busy (Saturday). The staff, the customers and the managers watched this and NO ONE came to help me,” Cong said.
“I was shouting as loud as I could, trying to protect my face from being hit. ‘Can someone please get security?’ I said this several times, no one came. I was terrified. I was only saved by two colleagues who were stacking shelves way in the back. It’s a fairly big store.”
I was shouting as loud as I could, trying to protect my face from being hit “can someone please get security?” I said this several times, no one came. I was terrified. I was only saved by two colleagues who were stacking shelves way in the back, it’s a fairly big store.
— eve (@evecong) July 14, 2019
To make matters worse, young girls started filming Cong, laughing at her plight.
“Young girls were laughing videoing this and people just stared. People tried to come to me afterwards, of which I said, ‘Don’t come to me now when I’m not in danger. How about when it was happening and you guys just stared?’ Humanity failed.”
Young girls were laughing videoing this and people just stared, people tried to come to me afterwards of which I said, “don’t come to me now when I’m not in danger, how about when it was happening and you guys just stared.” Humanity failed. @asda @metpoliceuk @BBCBreaking
— eve (@evecong) July 14, 2019
Cong, who decided to lodge a complaint, then met the store’s deputy manager. But instead of getting help, she only heard, “Can I tell you something darling, it is a cold world.”
I was introduced to the Deputy Manager at the time who I thought was the main manager. He was insensitive and said he couldn’t ring the police on my behalf and was very flippant with his response. He proceeded to say “ Can I tell you something darling, it is a cold world.” @asda pic.twitter.com/jFTrFMiCv3
— eve (@evecong) July 14, 2019
The deputy manager then led Cong to the store’s actual manager. To her shock, she learned that the latter had actually seen the whole thing.
“Turns out the store manager saw the whole thing as the bakery where he was working within the store was at the front. I said to him I can’t believe you saw it all and did nothing.”
Cong also took a jab at the store’s “incompetent security,” who refused to help and covered up his badge when she asked for it.
“When I told him that I need to make a complaint about you and legally I am allowed to take your details, he continued to cover his badge and walk away, negating all responsibility because he said he’s ONLY supposed to be at the door but was away from it.”
The IMCOMPETENT security who received his license from @Get_Licensed just like so many others who are not prepared to protect anyone or anything. WHO REFUSED + COVERED UP HIS SECURITY BADGE. Please #retweet @asda – they have to give you these details!! pic.twitter.com/OV5W0Ii20C
— eve (@evecong) July 14, 2019
Cong then learned from the butcher working at the back of the store that the security is actually tasked to patrol the entire premises and not just the front door.
“The security guard tried to hide in the back office. The deputy manager came out + told him he had to give me his details. He covered his face.”
When I told him that I need to make a complaint about you and legally I am allowed to take your details. He continued to cover his badge and walk away, negating all responsibility because he said he’s ONLY supposed to be at the door but was away from it. #RETWEET @Get_Licensed pic.twitter.com/zgGZDewVCr
— eve (@evecong) July 14, 2019
Still, the deputy manager allegedly laughed at the situation, claiming that he “couldn’t ring the police on [her] behalf.” Worse, he referred to the way Cong had dressed.
“What about it? Another case of where misogynistic men that try to give excuses to their actions,” Cong wrote.
The video of him denying all responsibility, covering his badge that @Get_Licensed gave him. And telling over and over it’s not his job. @EveningStandard @BBCBreaking @asda PLEASE #retweet pic.twitter.com/iYe6ASsem0
— eve (@evecong) July 14, 2019
Cong likened her experience to that of receiving messages online, “usually” from males, who then “become aggressive, calling us b****es, saying that we think we’re too nice + threatening us with physical violence.”
She also pointed out her disappointment over the fact that “so many people of colour” chose not to help her.
“It was beyond disheartening to see so many people of colour in that room witnessing racism and not speaking up. I speak up for all people of colour all the time, and this time, when it happened, anyone, someone could have intervened [but] no one did.”
It was beyond disheartening to see so many people of colour in that room witnessing racism and not speaking up. I speak up for all people of colour all the time and this time where it happened and anyone, someone could have intervened no one did.
— eve (@evecong) July 14, 2019
Cong’s thread has since received thousands of likes, retweets and comments, with people offering support.
This whole thread is vile and terrifying. These men need serious repercussions, how can anyone stand back, watch this happen and deny all responsibility?? DO SOMETHING. @asda https://t.co/dcfsffRKK5
— sweendug. (@heyrachael_) July 14, 2019
For crying out loud, when you witness something like this, your reaction shouldn’t be to film it or say it’s not your job. @asda this is shocking. https://t.co/eTUOfNVilz
— Cheryl Sonnier (@Cheryl_ThePeril) July 15, 2019
Please read this thread, words fail me when I see our country reduced to this. https://t.co/lJmDzU2pky
— Andy Overall (@Andyhatter2008) July 15, 2019
This is appalling. What are you going to do about this @metpoliceuk and @asda? Racism can never be brushed off like this, NEVER. It’s only a ‘cold world’ because you make it so. Don’t be complicit. https://t.co/FwYbFoWIc8
— Rebecca Boey (@becboey) July 14, 2019
Asian racism acc goes unnoticed, or seen as a joke and this has to change https://t.co/RCRiWA6Geb
— J (@jjoannec) July 14, 2019
In response, a spokesman for Asda said that the incident will be investigated further.
“We take incidents of this nature extremely seriously and do not condone any kind of abusive behaviour – and we’re really sorry Ms Cong had to experience this kind of treatment from another shopper in our store.
“We know some of our colleagues intervened in the incident to assist Ms Cong and did the right thing by calling the police, but we will always investigate these instances further and look at where we could improve our service to customers further as well as trying to contact Ms Cong to discuss the incident with her directly.”
Cong disputed this statement, however.
“I hope you all know that the Asda statement here is inaccurate. They didn’t want to call the police and told me I had to do it. I had to beg and cry for the store manager to call them. Even then the deputy was in the back office he didn’t know a damn thing to tell the police. I spoke to them ALONE.”
If you see the statement from @asda pic.twitter.com/ROAEcgWXnA
— eve (@evecong) July 15, 2019
The Metropolitan Police has reportedly contacted Cong and will review surveillance footage.
Images via Twitter / @evecong
