‘Get Out of My F-ing Country’: CNN Reporter Allegedly Targeted With Racism on The Job

CNN reporter Natasha Chen says she was a target for racist comments while reporting on location this past Sunday in South Carolina.

Why this Matters: Anti-Asian Sentiments have dramatically increased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic earlier this year.

What Happened: Chen was working on a story at Myrtle Beach during Memorial Day Weekend when she was approached by a man “yelling expletives” at her for wearing a mask while blaming her for the pandemic, ABC reports.

“I was wearing a mask after my live shot, doing another interview, and someone shouted at us, unhappy about our coverage. Then he yelled for me to “get out of my f-ing country” and that I was responsible for this virus,” Chen recalled in a Facebook post.
Despite this experience, Chen says most of the beachgoers she spoke with have all been really nice and friendly.

THANK YOU to all who reached out in support today, after a guy yelled for me to “get out of his f-ing country” and that I was responsible for this virus. Thankful that in OUR country, the 1st amendment giving him the right to say that also gives us the right to keep on reporting.

— Natasha Chen (@NatashaChenCNN) May 24, 2020

Who’s Taking Action: Last week, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) announced a bill condemning “all forms of anti-Asian sentiment” related to the coronavirus, while citing the “dramatic” increase in reports of racist and xenophobic attacks against the group since January. She says she’s also working with Senators Tammy Duckworth and Mazie Hirono to find solutions.

The racist attacks against Asians, Asian-Americans, and the broader AAPI community during the COVID-19 pandemic are sickening. There is no place for hate and discrimination in America.

Proud to lead a resolution with @SenDuckworth and @maziehirono to condemn these attacks.

— Kamala Harris (@SenKamalaHarris) May 15, 2020