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On Friday morning, during the Maori New Year public holiday, a 16-year-old named Jason was brutally attacked on an Auckland bus by a woman wielding an iron rod. The assailant, described as a Maori woman weighing over 200 kilograms, hit Jason multiple times and stabbed him in the face, knocking out five of his teeth. The attack occurred on the bus at the Johns Lane stop, after the woman allegedly shouted a racial slur at Jason.
A 75-year-old Chinese man, Penglai Qiuyue, bravely intervened and managed to grab the weapon, sustaining injuries in the process. Despite his pleas for help, more than a dozen other Chinese passengers remained passive. The woman fled when the bus stopped at Panmure Railway Station. Qiuyue expressed frustration and disappointment at the bystanders' inaction, telling local news blogger Mao Peng, “What made me angry was that the passengers in the bus watched us fighting the attacker, but no one dared to come to help. I shouted several times but they still did nothing.”
The incident, first reported on WeChat, has sparked widespread outrage. Jason's mother expressed deep gratitude to Qiuyue for his bravery and criticized the indifferent bystanders. “It is heartbreaking to see people just standing by and not helping. I cannot thank Mr. Qiuyue enough for his courage. He saved my son’s life,” she said.
New Zealand police have confirmed the assault and are seeking public assistance to locate the attacker, emphasizing their commitment to community safety. Detective Sergeant Alex Johnson stated, “This kind of violence is unacceptable in our community. We are doing everything in our power to find the individual responsible and bring them to justice.”
Social media users have also called for stronger deterrents against such crimes and criticized the bystanders for their lack of action. One user wrote, “This is a wake-up call for all of us. We need to stand up against violence and not just be passive spectators.” Another commented, “It’s shocking that in a situation where someone’s life is in danger, people chose to do nothing. This is not the kind of society we want to live in.”
Discussions have also surfaced around the broader issue of racial violence. “Racism is still very much alive and it’s incidents like this that remind us of the work we need to do,” one netizen posted. Another added, “It’s sad to see that racial slurs and violence are still prevalent. We must educate our communities and promote inclusivity and respect.”
Jason is currently recovering from his injuries at home. His family has set up a support page where people can send messages of encouragement and support. “Jason is a strong young man, and with the community’s support, he will get through this,” his mother said. The page has already received an outpouring of positive messages from people all over the country, showing solidarity and condemning the violence he faced.
Source: NextShark
