In the span of a few days at the end of March, two assaults shook the Metro Vancouver region, both allegedly carrying the weight of anti-Asian hatred that has followed a pandemic and a grim week in Atlanta. A woman taking out her garbage behind a busy campus street became the target of a stranger who used a racial slur before striking her and fleeing, and a coffee shop worker in Richmond was reportedly attacked after a dispute that ended in the same poisonous language. Police are seeking one man and have made an arrest in the other case, and both files are being held as possibly hate-motivated
Police Probe Two Alleged Anti-Asian Attacks in Metro Vancouver Within Four Days
A woman was allegedly punched in the head and stomach on UBC's campus and taken to hospital, and a Richmond coffee shop staff member was allegedly assaulted.
She hid and called 911.
Mark
Two attacks in four days. Is there anything beyond timing that links them?
Mimi
Not as far as the reporting shows. Different places, different circumstances. What they share is the alleged use of anti-Asian slurs, and the fact that they follow the Atlanta killings and the rallies held on Sunday.
Luke
Careful there. Nothing in the reporting says the two are connected, and police haven't suggested it. The timing is the only thread.
Mark
The UBC case sounds especially stark. She was just taking out the garbage.
Mimi
Yes. Police describe it as unprovoked. A man approached, used a racial term, punched her in the head and stomach, and ran. She hid and called 911 and was treated in hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
Luke
And the suspect is still unidentified. All we have is a description: tall, medium build, hoodie, sweat pants, runners, dark face mask. That's not much to go on.
Mark
What about Richmond? There's a video.
Mimi
Yes, and it's disturbing, with a man using slurs and saying "coronavirus is you." But CBC says it hasn't verified it.
Luke
Same with the coffee-throwing account. That comes from social media posts. The café confirmed a staff member was allegedly assaulted and that police were called, but the detail about the social distancing request isn't confirmed in what's reported here.
Mark
So what do police actually confirm?
Mimi
The time, 3:15 p.m., and that someone was arrested. Chief Supt. Will Ng said hate-motivated elements would get full attention.
Luke
Note the wording, though: "potential" hate-motivated undertones. No hate-crime charge has been reported, and RCMP are releasing nothing more for now.
Der Puls
- A woman behind a busy UBC campus street was punched in the head and stomach after a stranger hurled an anti-Asian slur, and she was rushed to hospital.
- Two incidents in four days have landed on a region still reeling from the Atlanta shootings that killed six Asian women just two weeks earlier.
- In Richmond, a coffee shop worker was allegedly attacked after a customer dispute escalated into a coffee thrown in her face and a slur hurled at her.
- Police have pulled in a suspect in Richmond, while investigators in Vancouver are still hunting a tall man in dark clothing and a face mask.
- RCMP have pledged full attention to any hate-motivated element, and the Vancouver file remains open with no arrest yet.
In the span of a few days at the end of March, two assaults shook the Metro Vancouver region, both allegedly carrying the weight of anti-Asian hatred that has followed a pandemic and a grim week in Atlanta. A woman taking out her garbage behind a busy campus street became the target of a stranger who used a racial slur before striking her and fleeing, and a coffee shop worker in Richmond was reportedly attacked after a dispute that ended in the same poisonous language. Police are seeking one man and have made an arrest in the other case, and both files are being held as possibly hate-motivated. For a community that has long asked to be seen as ordinary neighbours rather than suspects or threats, these events are a reminder of how quickly old prejudice can find a new face.
On Saturday evening, just after eight, a woman stepped into an alley off University Boulevard on UBC's Vancouver campus to take out her garbage. Police say a man approached her, used an anti-Asian racial slur, punched her in the head and stomach, and ran. She hid, called 911, and was taken to hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening. Investigators are still looking for a tall man in a hoodie, sweatpants, runners and a dark face mask.
UBC President Santa Ono said he was horrified by what he called a reported racist and misogynistic attack, and reminded the campus community that counselling services are available.
On Monday afternoon, a second incident unfolded in Richmond. Much of what is known so far comes from social media posts and from the business itself. Rocanini Coffee Roasters confirmed that a staff member at its Steveston location was allegedly assaulted and that the matter was reported to police. Richmond RCMP say a suspect has been arrested, though they have released nothing further while the investigation continues. A video circulating online, which CBC has not verified, shows a man repeating a slur toward the person filming before getting into a car.
Richmond RCMP Chief Superintendent Will Ng said racism has no place in the community and promised full attention to any investigation with potential hate-motivated undertones. Both cases came less than two weeks after the Atlanta shootings, which prompted rallies across Canada and the United States the previous Sunday.
On Saturday evening, just after 8 p.m., an Asian woman stepped into the alley in the 5700 block of University Boulevard on UBC's Vancouver campus to take out her garbage. It is a busy stretch, with several businesses and a bus loop nearby. According to police, an unknown man approached her, used an anti-Asian racial term, and punched her in the head and stomach before running off.
The woman hid and called 911. She was taken to hospital and treated for injuries that police describe as non-life-threatening. Const. Christina Martin laid out the account of the attack, which police are treating as unprovoked. Investigators are still looking for the man, whom they describe as tall with a medium build. He was wearing a hoodie, sweat pants, runners and a dark face mask.
UBC President Santa Ono responded in a tweet, saying he was horrified to hear of what he called a reported racist and misogynistic attack in the neighbourhood next to the university. He noted that RCMP are investigating, said he knew the news would be unsettling for the UBC community, and reminded students and staff that counselling resources and services are available.
Two days later, on Monday at 3:15 p.m., a second incident took place in Richmond. Richmond RCMP say a suspect was arrested after an alleged assault involving anti-Asian racial slurs. The force has released nothing further while its investigation continues.
Much of what is publicly known comes from social media posts and from the business involved. The posts claim that an employee at a coffee shop asked a couple to keep their distance from other customers, and that a coffee was then thrown on her, followed by the slur "f--- you Chinese." Rocanini Coffee Roasters confirmed the incident happened at its Steveston location. In an email, the company said a staff member was allegedly assaulted and that the matter was reported to police.
A video that purportedly shows the end of the incident was also circulated. In it, a man and woman get into a BMW in the 3900-block of Moncton Street. Twice the man says "f---ing Chinese" toward the person filming, then climbs into the driver's seat and closes the door. He then gets back out and tells the person filming, "coronavirus is you." CBC has not independently verified the video.
Richmond RCMP Chief Superintendent Will Ng said in a statement that racism has no place in the community. "I want to reassure the public that any investigation with potential hate motivated undertones will be given our full attention and oversight," he said.
The two cases arrive less than two weeks after a gunman killed six Asian women in Atlanta, Georgia. That attack prompted rallies on Sunday in cities across Canada and the United States, held to protest the rise in anti-Asian crimes. In Metro Vancouver, the UBC investigation remains open with a suspect at large, while in Richmond the arrest has been made but the details of what police will allege have yet to be released.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
I want to reassure the public that any investigation with potential hate motivated undertones will be given our full attention and oversight.— Will Ng, Richmond RCMP Chief Superintendent
He was horrified to hear of the reported racist and misogynistic attack in the neighbourhood adjacent to UBC.— Santa Ono, UBC President (paraphrased from tweet)
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