Story By: Maja Mishevksa, Sub Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: Newsflash

Five Chinese students in Spain claim that they were turned away from a popular city bar after being discriminated against amid the coronavirus outbreak.

The incident took place at Bliss bar in the city of Huelva in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia when the five students, all aged 23, took a break from their tourism studies to enjoy a drink.

However, when they arrived at the bar they were reportedly refused entry for a number of different reasons, such as not wearing the correct footwear or because they appeared to be underage.

One Chinese student named Kike told local newspaper ‘Nius Diario’: “We showed them ID proving we were not underage, but they still refused to let us in.

“Then we realised that they were obviously refusing to let us in because we are Chinese.”

Local media said the students then filed a complaint with the police about the incident, which they believe was motivated by coronavirus fears.

Fernando Simon, the director of the Coordination Centre of Emergency and Health Alerts (CCAES), said in a press statement that discrimination against Asian people is rising due to fears of the viral outbreak.

Spain recently had its first confirmed coronavirus case when a German tourist was diagnosed on the small island of La Gomera in the Canary Islands.

Adelante Huelva political party spokeswoman Monica Rossi said: “This kind of serious discriminatory behaviour cannot be allowed.”

According to local media, after the Chinese students were turned away from Bliss and filed a complaint with the police, they visited a different venue where they were allowed in without issue.

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