A Chinese-Canadian reporter is facing a barrage of threats and insults on Vancouver Stop Asian Hate rally organizer’s WeChat group for investigating the organizers of Sunday’s event.

Attacks against Chen Zhou started after the deputy editor-in-chief of CAUS Finance published an article about the controversy surrounding rally co-organizer Asian Canadian Equity Alliance Association (ACEA)^[1]https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&u=https://www.caus.com/detail/18502?source%3Dtrue.

Zhou contacted ACEA after a number of well-respected Asian-Canadian community groups expressed concerns about the rally for not involving Chinese diaspora groups that are critical of China’s government.

Vancouver orgs are raising questions about a #StopAsianHate rally that hasn’t involved Chinese diaspora groups that are critical of Beijing. I’m on final book deadline this week, but this seems worth looking into. There’s a history of pro-CCP astroturfing groups in Canada. https://t.co/wuNGvKvhRs

— Joanna Chiu (@joannachiu) March 24, 2021

It soon emerged that ACEA’s co-founders included controversial Richmond lawyer Hong Guo, who was found guilty of professional misconduct by a Law Society of BC tribunal after $7.5 million went missing from her trust account.

Guo has denied China commits any human rights abuses and claims media coverage about Uighur Muslim concentration camps in Xinjiang as false in media interviews during her run for Richmond mayor in 208^[2]https://thebreaker.news/news/hong-guo-human-rights/.

The organizers of the Stop Asian Gate rally got defensive when Zhou asked ACEA about Guo.

“I think this question has gone beyond The scope of the interview. Regarding ACEA, our original intention and goal are very clear,” Organizer Xing Zhang, who also goes by the name David Zhang, said. “It is to fight for the rights of Asians. We will not become the target of others’ hate crimes just because we have Asian faces. We should focus on such issues. On the other side, we have answered all the questions we should answer.”

Comments attacking Zhou’s credibility as a journalist started appearing on the rally organizer’s WeChat group began appearing almost immediately.

“Journalism, which used to be regarded as a very respectable profession to enforce justice, now finds a large part of it degenerated into serving prostitutes who cannot help but fabricate slanders and distort the truth for the sake of money,” a post by a user named Rhonda raid. “Sorry whores, because they sell themselves or not[sic] than those whores who sell everything.”

Rhonda also asks Zhou: “Showing off your prostitute skills?”

Some members in the group went further, writing chilling comments such as: “How sad would parents be if something happened to her because of her paranoia”.
While many grassroots Chinese organizations have decided to stay away from the rally, one high profile supporter has been former reporter and media professional Eileen Park-Robertson.

Park Robertson, the wife of former Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson, who insists that the rally organizers have no nefarious intentions.

“I’ve spoken w/the lead organizers,” Park Robertson tweeted. “They do NOT support the humans rights abuses in China. They do not support the CCP. They say they’re alarmed by these unfounded claims.”

That one you seem bent on discrediting? I’ve spoken w/the lead organizers. They do NOT support the humans rights abuses in China. They do not support the CCP. They say they’re alarmed by these unfounded claims. Show us you care about anti-Asian hate. I’ll be waiting for examples.

— Eileen Park Robertson 박아린 (@EileenParkTV) March 27, 2021

“In Canada, journalists have the rights and freedom to ask questions, but I was harassed and hated and discriminated against by some ACEA members because I tried to figure out one simple question: ‘Who is the founder of ACEA?’,” Zhou asked Park Robertson. “Will you support me Eileen?”

No one should EVER be harassed and hated. I will always support your right and the rights of journalists!

Journalists have a code as well. To report — not on your bias, but on facts, context, and substantiated evidence. Not the distortion and manipulation of it.

— Eileen Park Robertson 박아린 (@EileenParkTV) March 27, 2021

“No one should EVER be harassed and hated,” Park Robertson responded. “I will always support your right and the rights of journalists!”

“Journalists have a code as well,” added Park Robertson. “To report — not on your bias, but on facts, context, and substantiated evidence. Not the distortion and manipulation of it.”

But when Zhou asked if that response was intended to imply that Zhou’s reporting was biased, Park Robertson quickly ended the conversation saying: “Nope, not implying anything. Take care, Chen Zhou.”

Many politicians are supporting the rally despite all the controversy, according to the rally’s organizers.

“The Statements from the BC Premier’s Office and the City of Vancouver Mayor’s Office will be read at the rally,” organizer David Zhang announced. “Aboriginal communities, Korean communities, Bangladeshi communities, Filipino communities, film and television, media, and former Premier of BC, former Mayor of Vancouver, MLAs will appear at the rally and give speeches to against Asian discrimination and appeal for the rights of Asians.”

David Zhang had earlier announced that Vancouver MP and federal Minister of Digital Government Joyce Murray would be attending the rally being held at the Vancouver Art Gallery from 2PM onwards.

The announcement has subsequently being removed and it is unclear if Ms. Murray would attend the rally.

The minister courted controversy last year when her WeChat account contained links to Maple Leafs Anti-Racism Alliance (MLARA), a group looking to sue a Canadian journalist over a story exposing Chinese government’s international effort to hoard personal protective equipment.^[3]https://thebreaker.news/news/murray-wechat/.

“Attacking the integrity of hard-working journalists is absolutely unacceptable,” Prime Minister Trudeau responded to the allegations. “The individual who posted this link on this particular group is no longer a member of this group and is not affiliated with the electoral district association in question.”

The poster for the rally lists MLARA as one of the co-organizers.