UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday the coronavirus pandemic keeps unleashing "a tsunami of hate and xenophobia, scapegoating and scare-mongering" and appealed for an "all-out effort to end hate speech globally."

The UN chief said "anti-foreigner sentiment has surged online and in the streets, anti-Semitic conspiracy theories have spread, and COVID-19-related anti-Muslim attacks have occurred."

The secretary-general called on political leaders to show solidarity with all people, on educational institutions to focus on "digital literacy" at a time when "extremists are seeking to prey on captive and potentially despairing audiences."

"And I ask everyone, everywhere, to stand up against hate, treat each other with dignity and take every opportunity to spread kindness," Guterres said.