Two women charged over alleged racial attack in Sydney CBD

Two women have been charged with assault after an alleged racial attack on three Chinese international students on a night out in Sydney’s CBD.

Lenny Tai, 29, Minghao Zhan, 20, and another friend who asked not to be named were waiting near Central Station for a ride-share trip home when the women began taunting them from the opposite side of the road in the early hours of last Saturday.

Tai said the pair crossed the street and approached the group, swearing and jeering at them.

In shocking video of the altercation taken by Minghao, one of the women can be heard saying: “You wanna f—ing say that c—? In Australia? … You will never be let back in our country”, before she begins shoving and grabbing the men.

Tai said he was grabbed by the neck, choked and scratched on the face by the two women.

Two women aged 26 and 33 were on Saturday arrested over the incident on the corner of Pitt Street and Hay Street in Haymarket.

Both have been charged with common assault and using offensive language in a public place. They were granted bail to appear at Downing Centre Local Court on September 2.

Speaking to the Herald on Thursday, Tai said he has not left his home since the alleged attack took place five days ago.

“I have nightmares every night, even last night … We couldn’t sleep well, I can’t eat, it’s painful for me to recall that night,” he told the Herald.

“I live very close to where it happened. I don’t feel safe.”

Zhan said the incident highlighted the public safety concerns for international students living in Sydney.

“I feel really scared,” Zhan said. “I think it’s not just Chinese students … These people hate Asians.”

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