An Asian gas station owner was sprayed with pepper spray by an unknown man in Oakland, California last week. The incident occurred on March 11 at about 11 a.m. at a gas station along Broadway. According to Dion Lim, ABC7, he became frustrated after trying to use gas.
“My staff, she’s like, ‘Well, wait, hold on. You have to take it to the bank, because I can not fit it all in the cash register, ” said the owner of the gas station, who wants to be identified as Cwell. Cwell apparently tried to calm the man down. However, the situation escalated as soon as the man started making xenophobic remarks at Cwell. “He just started talking … ‘You have to go back to China like that,'” Cwell shared. “We just burst out laughing because it was so amazing.” The man told the gas station staff he would return. As a precaution, Cwell went outside with his cellphone to record the man’s license plate number. The man immediately turned to Cwell and shouted more racist remarks: ‘Go fuck your mom! Go your mom! You do not come from here! You’re Asian! Little d ** k! Little d ** k! “
: “… **!”
Oakland gas station owner Cwell says the man made racially charged statements after Cwell refused to allow him to pay his term. They could not all fit into the register. (1/4) pic.twitter.com/prZcG2G3sL – Dion Lim (@DionLimTV) 15 March 2021
The confrontation escalated from verbal to physical assault when the man put his car in reverse and apparently wanted to hit the owner of the gas station.
When Cwell notices that the man is getting something in his pocket, he grabs a cleaning syringe to protect himself.
But it was too late. An surveillance video shows the man spraying Cwell with a pepper spray. Cwell had to go to the ER. https://t.co/pD3j5HV3Fs pic.twitter.com/wivtxz2rTC – Dion Lim (@DionLimTV) 15 March 2021
Safety footage shows the man approaching Cwell shortly afterwards with a can of pepper spray. The man pulled out his pepper spray and shot my face, arms. I finally went to the ER to be cared for, ” Cwell said. The gas station staff called Oakland police to report the attack, and authorities rushed them to the scene. Cwell hopes that what happened to him will raise awareness and show it to everyone “Everyone goes through the same things.” “We just have to understand and understand that we all have to work together,” he added. This recent attack is just one of many anti-Asian incidents that have taken place in Oakland over the past few months. Last week a 75-year-old man left injured in strong armed robbery. The victim died days later. Do you have a hate event to report? Help us document the recent increase in hate crimes against Asian Americans by going to STOP AAPI HATE to report an incident. Please stay safe out there. Function image via Dion Lim
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