Careful readers of this newspaper will recall a remarkable column by Olivia Ho that appeared a year ago this week in which she took note of rising racism against Asians in the United States.

Holidaying with her family in the city of New Orleans, just as the pandemic-induced lockdowns were kicking in, a man cycled past Olivia and her sister with his dog in the basket. "Want to pet him?" he offered, before going on to say: "Bet you'd eat him."