Sydney Pub Under Fire For ‘Chinese Coronavirus Plan’ And Dig Against People From Melbourne

A Sydney pub is in hot water over a sign it erected that said it had a plan for the 'Chinese Coronavirus' and 'Wuhan Coronavirus'.

Establishments and venues have all been required to install Covid-Safe measures to ensure patrons aren't at risk from contracting or spreading the virus. However, the Maroubra Junction Hotel has specifically singled out China in its messaging.

In a further dig, the sign made a joke about Melbourne as it suffers a second wave of coronavirus infections, with thousands of people now battling symptoms.

The sign said: "Per advice from the NSW Premier: if you are from Melbourne or look like you are, you will be asked to leave."

It also had a silhouette of a man arguably dubbed a hipster with a big red cross through it.

Twitter

Pictures of the sign have gone viral on social media, with many people criticising it for being tone deaf and racist in the middle of a pandemic. Jason Ling posted one of the images on Facebook said it was disheartening to see a venue do this.

He wrote on his page: "This is not about the casual racism of Melburnians. It's about the divisive language used to single out Asians. Why not use official designation of COVID-19? This pandemic has spread beyond China."

"I don't often speak up about things like this, but it's tone deaf and highly irresponsible. This kind of rhetoric is the kind of casual racism that conflates race and the pandemic."

Efforts are underway for the pub to change the sign in the wake of the controversy. It's even attracted scorn from state and federal politicians.

Federal MP Andrew Giles wrote on Twitter: "I've just seen this. It's vile. There's never any excuse for racism.

"Now, it's especially important that we reject the forces of hate and division that are attacking our social cohesion and diminishing us all. We need an anti-racism strategy."

NSW Member for Maroubra Michael Daley added: "I have been alerted to racist COVID -19 signage at the Maroubra Junction Hotel.

"I went straight to the hotel and spoke to the manager and owner there and asked them to remove it. They have agreed and will take it down immediately, as they should. This is unacceptable."

Topics: News, Coronavirus, Australia

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

@stewartperrie