Public Statement
FOR IMMIDIATE RELEASE, Richmond, B.C.
July 31, 2021
In Regards of the incident outside Richmond Provincial courthouse on July 28
We are writing this statement to voice our deep concerns regarding an anti-Asian hate incident that happened outside the Richmond Courthouse, at 7577 Elmbridge Way, at approximately 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 28th, 2021. A group of demonstrators were attacked by a non-Asian woman, resulting in varying degrees of assault against five people, including a reporter and a building security guard.
On July 28, there was a court appearance scheduled for two people charged with mischief following an incident involving alleged racial slurs in the Richmond Rocanini coffee shop on March 29.
While waiting for the defendants to exit the courthouse, we, Stop Anti-Asian Hate Crimes Advocacy Group (hereafter SAAHCAG), held a peaceful rally with a group of 20 people outside the Richmond Provincial Court at 1:30pm. It was intended to send out a message that there’s no place for hate and racism in Richmond and that hate-crime-related incidents have consequences.
During the rally, an unidentified female passerby provoked and attacked the demonstrators. As she walked down the street outside the court, there was no protesters or reporters on the pavement. She started the confrontation by smashing our placards on the hedge and dumping them into the parking lot before heading to the side door of the building to visit the Ministry offices. She became violent when two demonstrators approaching her attempted to ask why she had done so. She responded by roaring incoherently. Some of demonstrators and camera operators rushed over from the front entrance after hearing the altercation. The videos show her shouting, slapping, swinging her bag at people, smashing the equipment of a cameraman and scratching his left arm, drawing blood. This woman also made racially hateful comment about the skin color of the protestors. There were several security cameras outside the entrance. Security footage from those cameras can provide extra information regarding this attack.
One of the victims was told to call 911 as the court bailiffs have no authority to arrest the woman. When this victim was on the phone with the police, the male mischief defendant of the coffee shop incident came out from the side door. He was followed by TV journalists out of the parking area. After the male defendant left the parking lot, the demonstrators and reporters began wrapping up to leave.
At this moment, the woman who attacked reporter and demonstrators earlier came back out from the side door and walked towards the crowd in the front yard. She started being abusive again, trying to beat the demonstrators. She broke one of the reporters’ cell phone and threw his duffle bag to the ground, leaving the contents scattered. Before she left the scene, she damaged at least two cell phones and one video camera in the process.
The police car soon arrived. According to the police report, the suspect, a 44-year old Vancouver woman, was soon located and arrested. She was later released on a promise to appear in Richmond Provincial Court on October 20 and faces possible charges of assault and mischief.
It is ironic that a racially motivated incident happened outside the court while we were trying to raise the awareness of anti-Asian hate and while the trial of a hate crime suspect is facing justice inside the court. This shows racism in Canada is very much alive and real. It’s devastating for the people of color to see this kind of incidents happen again and again. Canada is a multicultural country, no one should be discriminated because of their skin color.
We anticipate the Richmond RCMP will conduct a thorough and extensive investigation and their efforts will result in charges being laid against her. The Richmond RCMP should collect these footages of the security cameras at the courthouse in order to conduct investigation on this incident.
“Hate has no place in our community. And we support those in our community who are standing up against it.” said Corporal Ian Henderson of the Richmond RCMP. So, do we. We are committed to making it happen.
The Stop Anti-Asian Hate Crimes Advocacy Group (SAAHCAG) is a Vancouver based grassroot group whose mandate is to promote and advocate for inclusion, equity, and racial justice. We continue to be committed to addressing and fighting hate crimes and racism in all its forms.
The Stop Anti-Asian Hate Crime Advocacy Group
公开声明
立即发布，卑诗省列治文
2021 年 7 月 31 日
关于 7 月 28 日列治文省法院外的事件
我们写此声明是为了表达我们对下午 2 点 30 分左右在 7577 Elmbridge Way 列治文省级法院外的反亚裔仇恨事件的深切关注。 2021 年 7 月 28 日，星期三下午，一群在法院外和平集会的市民遭到一名非亚裔女子的袭击，结果导致包括一名记者和一名大楼保安在内的五人受到不同程度的袭击伤害。
7 月 28 日是Richmond Rocanini 咖啡店发生涉嫌种族仇恨言行事件后，两名被控行为不检的嫌犯在此法庭出庭的日期 。
在等待被告离开法院的同时，我们，反对仇恨亚裔犯罪关注组（以下简称 SAAHCAG）于下午 1 点 30 分在列治文省法院外与一群 20 人的支持者举行了和平集会。集会旨在发出一个信息，即列治文没有仇恨和种族主义的容身之地，任何仇恨犯罪都需要面对法律后果。
集会期间，一名身份不明的女性路人挑衅并袭击了示威者。当她走在法庭外的街道上时，人行道上没有集会者或记者。 她 在前往大楼的侧门办公室之前，将我们放在树篱上的标语牌拿起并扔进停车场。当两名示威者靠近她试图询问她为什么这样做时，她变得暴力。她语无伦次地咆哮着回应。一些示威者和摄像师听到争吵后从前门赶了过来。视频显示，她大喊大叫、扇耳光、向人甩包、砸摄像师的设备、抓伤他的左臂并导致该记者手臂流血。这位女士还对抗议者的肤色发表了种族仇恨的评论。入口外有几个保安摄像头。这些摄像头的保安录像可以提供有关这次袭击的额外信息。
其中一名受害者被告知拨打 911，因为法院法警无权逮捕该女子。当这名受害人正在与警方通电话时，咖啡店事件的男性行为不检被告从侧门走了出来。电视记者跟着他走出停车场。男被告离开停车场后，示威者和记者开始收拾东西准备离开。
就在这时，先前袭击记者和示威者的女子从侧门出来，朝前院的人群走去。她再次开始辱骂，试图击打示威者。她打破了一名记者的手机，将他的行李袋扔在地上，里面的东西散落一地。在她离开现场之前，她在此过程中损坏了至少两部手机和一部摄像机。
警车很快就到了。根据警方的报告，嫌疑人是一名 44 岁的温哥华女子，很快被找到并逮捕。她后来被释放，承诺将于 10 月 20 日在列治文省法院出庭，并可能面临袭击和行为不检的指控。
具有讽刺意味的是，在我们试图提高反亚裔仇恨意识的同时，在法庭内审判一名仇恨犯罪嫌疑人时，却在门外发生了出于种族动机的事件。这表明加拿大的种族主义非常活跃和真实。看到这种事件一次又一次地发生，对有色人种来说是毁灭性的。加拿大是一个多元文化的国家，任何人都不应该因为肤色而受到歧视。
我们预计列治文皇家骑警将进行彻底和广泛的调查，并对这名袭击他人的女性提出指控。我们认为列治文皇家骑警应该收集法院保安摄像头的这些录像片段，以便对这起事件进行全面的调查。
“仇恨在我们的社区中没有立足之地。我们支持社区中反对它的人。”列治文皇家骑警的伊恩·亨德森警官说。我们也是。我们致力于实现它。
反对仇恨亚裔犯罪关注组 (SAAHCAG) 是一个根植位于温哥华的草根组织，我们的目标是促进和倡导包容、公平和种族正义。我们将继续致力于解决和打击一切形式的仇恨犯罪和种族主义。
反对仇恨亚裔犯罪关注组