The incident occurred in late 2021 while Sunisa Lee was in Los Angeles filming Dancing with the Stars. While waiting for an Uber with a group of friends—all of whom are of Asian descent—a car sped past them while the passengers shouted anti-Asian slurs and told them to “go back to where they came from.” Before the vehicle sped off, one occupant pepper-sprayed Lee’s arm. Lee later expressed her anger and frustration, noting that as a high-profile athlete, she felt she had to “just let it happen” to avoid a public confrontation that could damage her reputation. This attack was not an isolated event but a reflection of a broader, documented surge in anti-Asian sentiment in the United States.
Data from the FBI and advocacy groups like Stop AAPI Hate provide a stark backdrop to Lee’s experience. In 2021, reported hate crimes against Asian Americans skyrocketed by 167%, jumping from 279 incidents in 2020 to 746 the following year. Public assaults were a major component of this trend, with physical attacks against Asian people increasing from 10.8% of all reported hate incidents to 16.6% in 2021. Even as recently as 2025, reports indicate that nearly half of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders continue to face some form of hate or discrimination. For Lee, a Hmong-American who made history as the first Asian American woman to win the Olympic all-around gold, the incident serves as a reminder that athletic excellence does not grant immunity from the systemic issues facing her community.
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