South Korean pop band BTS never shies from expressing their stand on various serious issues around the world. The K-pop band issued a statement on Tuesday condemning the recent surge in anti-Asian violence and shared their experiences of the racism they have faced. The tragic Atlanta spa shootings which took the lives of six women of Asian descent stirred considerable outrage and fear in the Asian-American community. BTS band comprising of RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, penned a statement both in English and Korean.

In the statement, the group recounted their personal experience of facing racism. “We recall moments when we faced discrimination as Asians. We have endured expletives without reason and were mocked for the way we look. We were even asked why Asians spoke in English. We cannot put into words the pain of becoming the subject of hatred and violence for such a reason,” they said.

“Our own experiences are inconsequential compared to the events that have occurred over the past few weeks. But these experiences were enough to make us feel powerless and chip away our self-esteem,” the group added. “What is happening right now cannot be dissociated from our identity as Asians. It required considerable time for us to discuss this carefully and we contemplated deeply on how we should voice our message. But what our voice must convey is clear,” BTS said.

BTS concluded by saying: “You, I and we all have the right to be respected. We will stand together.”

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