Democratic lawmaker Gene Wu on Friday slammed Shelley Luther, a Republican candidate for the Texas Home of Representatives, for stating that Chinese language college students ought to be "banned" from Texas universities.

"Luther's statements are ignorant, hateful, and incite violence towards not solely Chinese language People, however all Asian People," wrote Wu, who serves within the Texas Home, in a assertion issued Friday. "To casually conflate all Chinese language college students in America with precise registered members of the ruling get together within the Folks's Republic of China is just not solely ignorance of an excessive nature, it's also the kind of rhetoric that drives anti-Asian hate crimes."

Wu mentioned that Luther's "racist" feedback not solely goal Chinese language nationals learning within the U.S., but in addition label anybody who "appears to be like or sounds vaguely Asian as a possible enemy."

Luther wrote in a since-deleted tweet: "Chinese language college students ought to be BANNED from attending all Texas universities. No extra Communists!"

Wu demanded that Luther apologize for her remarks and urged her to show that she understands "the hurt she has induced."

In a response to his assertion, Luther, who owns a hair salon in Dallas and famously defied COVID restrictions, tweeted Friday that the Democrat is "simping for the CCP," referring to the Chinese language Communist Occasion.

"It does not shock me that a socialist Democrat who does not present as much as work thinks the place that Communist Chinese language residents mustn't entry taxpayer funded state establishments is racist. Texas Republicans agree with me on this," she tweeted on Friday night time, calling Lu an "enemy of the folks."

On Wednesday, Luther, who will run towards Republican Rep. Reggie Smith within the March major, referred to as for the prohibition of "CCP members" from faculties in different tweets that apparently referred to Chinese language nationals.

"It's normal sense: CCP members mustn't have entry to our faculties," she wrote in a single tweet.

Rep. Slams GOP Candidate over anti-Asian comments
GOP Texas Home candidate Shelley Luther referred to as for banning Chinese language college students from Texas universities, drawing swift criticism on Friday from state lawmaker Gene Wu. Above, protestors demand an finish to anti-Asian violence on April 4, 2021 in New York Metropolis.Picture by Spencer Platt/Getty Photographs

Her feedback come amid an increase nationwide in anti-Asian hate crimes, which elevated by over 73 p.c final 12 months, NBC Information reported, citing FBI information.

Luther was sentenced to jail in 2020 for defying COVID lockdowns by holding her salon open regardless of an government statewide order to close non-essential companies.

A Texas choose sentenced her to seven days in jail after she refused to apologize for "being egocentric" for persevering with her enterprise operations early on within the pandemic. Nevertheless, the state's supreme courtroom countered that sentence and ordered Luther's launch after two nights.