Rally against racism held at Surrey’s Aspen Park; RCMP says charges unlikely after hateful comments

SURREY (NEWS 1130) — Condemning the racist insults hurled at a group of South Asian seniors and children in a Surrey park as hurtful, harmful, and totally unacceptable, RCMP say criminal charges are not likely.

The incident at Aspen Park caught on video last week has outraged the community and prompted a rally against racism Tuesday evening.

One person, a teacher, who joined the crowd of hundreds says she wants to show future generations that issues can be dealt with in a respectful manner.

“I just very simply believe that there’s no room for racism, whether it’s individual racism or systemic racism. Surrey is such a diverse community and we’re in a park — this is where kids play, you can see all around you the families. Any issue we have can be resolved by talking, by simply having a conversation,” rally-goer Annie Ohana said.

“I’m here because I want to make sure that most of us in Surrey believe that we are a diverse, beautiful family, and that we need to protect each other if anything goes wrong.”

“I think it’s unacceptable,” added Imtiaz Popat, an organizer with the Coalition Against Bigotry Pacific.

In footage posted online of the incident, someone can be heard shouting at a group of people speaking Punjabi.

“We’re in Canada, speak English. I don’t understand what you’re saying. You wanna say sh*to my face, speak English,” the person said. At another point, the group is told to “go back to India.” Garbage was also allegedly thrown at the group.

 

Sgt. Elenore Sturko with Surrey RCMP says she understands the incident has triggered widespread hurt, anger, and calls for police to arrest the couple.

“A lot of people, they want to see charges because they’re hurt, particularly because a lot of people in the community have been the subject of racial comments and discrimination,” she explained.

“It’s not unreasonable that people would want more. They want us to do something they want us to hold these individuals to account. I get that and all of us here, we’re very alive to that, and alive to the fact that it’s caused a significant amount of pain for people in the community.”

However, Sturko says given what police have gathered from the investigation so far, there is not enough to recommend criminal charges or hate crime charges. The allegation garbage was thrown at the group does not meet the threshold for an assault charge, Sturko adds. She also says what was caught on video was the culmination of a days-long conflict over issues in the park such as dogs, and litter.

“These people weren’t necessarily targeted directly as a result of their ethnicity, but it was a dispute about usage of the park that then boiled over to the point where people were using inappropriate, racialized and, and really harmful language,” she said.

“We don’t have sufficient evidence at this time that would suggest that we would be going that direction, but we are still asking people in the public to provide us information.”

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One thing Sturko says people are often unaware of is that shouting racist insults is not a hate crime, and in many cases is not a crime at all. If hateful language is directed at someone on the basis of their race, sex, religion, or sexual orientation while another crime, such as an assault, is perpetrated, the court can consider the role hate or discrimination played.

Although the criminal justice system is unlikely to impose consequences in this instance, Sturko says it has spurred important, community-led action.

“I think it’s really positive that we have the rally going on. It’s nice to see that people are coming together to support one another and to speak out against racism, and that hopefully is a positive outcome,” she said.

“People are tired of being treated that way. Nobody wants to be treated like a second-class person in Canada or in Surrey. The outrage that people are showing speaks volumes to their fatigue with unfair and unjust treatment in the community.”

With files from Kier Junos and Ashley Burr

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