“Wuhan Plague” Plaques Featuring Chopstick-Wielding Pooh Holding Bat Appear In Atlanta

A guerilla artist in Atlanta has been installing ‘Wuhan Plague’ plaques around the city, depicting Winnie the Pooh patting his belly while holding a bat with chopsticks – prompting cries of racism. For the uninformed, Pooh has been used to mock Chinese President Xi Jinping, who bears a striking resemblance to the fictional bear.

According to VICE, police have no leads as to who’s installing the tiel and bronze plaques which first appeared April 13 on an electrical box in Inman Park, according to the Atlanta Police.

Three days later, a second plaque appeared at a nearby coffee shop in the neighborhood of Reynoldstown – while a third appeared two days later at Atlanta’s Candler Park Market, according to the report.

Winnie the Pooh’s association with Chinese culture originated in 2013 when parody comparisons between the cuddly bear and Prime Minister Xi Jinping went viral on social media — and China then banned Pooh images.

 

The plaques appeared to be glued to the sites where they were posted.

 

Hodgepodge Coffeehouse owner Kristle Rodriguez said her employees alerted her to the plaque at her site. Rodriguez said she immediately called the cops and the building’s landlord, who quickly removed the plaque. –VICE

“The adhesive was still wet, meaning this happened late morning or early afternoon,” Rodriguez wrote in a Friday post to Facebook. “This isn’t amusing, funny, politically incorrect, edgy, or punk rock. This is super fucking gross and racist. There’s enough xenophobia and ignorance being spouted from this administration, we certainly don’t need street art reinforcing this shit.“

On Wednesday we reported that Lululemon fired its art director for sharing

an Instagram link on Sunday to a shirt created by artist Jess Sluder featuring a Chinese take-out box decorated with bat wings and the words “no thank you” on the sleeves and back.

The shirt, titled “Bat Fried Rice” was listed for sale at $60 until it was taken down. Meanwhile, Fleming’s Instagram account has since been deleted, according to USA Today.

There have been 100+ daily attacks on Asian Americans since the start of #COVID19. To see people adding to the hurt & racism hurts my heart. I hope someone picks up this story and these individuals take responsibility. I am more proud than ever to be part of the AA community. ✊🏼 pic.twitter.com/nWy9WJeMVE

— Kamauri Yeh (@yehwho) April 19, 2020