A Letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson

On 11th January 2021, during the One Planet Summit, Prime Minister Boris Johnson made an alarming remark which was reported by the Daily Mail as:

"…blaming the 'demented' practice of harvesting pangolin scales for causing coronavirus ... Mr Johnson tore into people who 'grind up the scales of a pangolin' in a bid to become more 'potent' - a thinly veiled attack on Chinese remedies.”

Whilst we appreciate that Mr Johnson, during a meeting on 13th January with the heads of Parliament's select committees, cautioned against a “lurch into a position of unthinking Sinophobia”, his use of provocative language at the One Planet Summit will contribute to rising Sinophobia.

For example, World Animals Voice reported the following:

“UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson blames Chinese for coronavirus pandemic telling world leaders it was triggered by ‘demented’ people who ‘grind up the scales of a pangolin’ in a bid to become more ‘potent’”

CARG's letter to Prime Minister is attached below.

Letter to PM 18th Jan 2021 final

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