Thousands raised for Vancouver security guard attacked in Chinatown
Posted August 23, 2022 8:49 am.
Last Updated August 23, 2022 9:01 am.
Thousands of dollars have been raised for a well-known security guard who was assaulted in Vancouver’s Chinatown earlier this month.
Harold Johnson was making his rounds near East Pender and Columbia streets the morning of Aug. 12 when police say a stranger attacked him. Bystanders tried to intervene and called 9-1-1 but the suspect escaped before officers arrived.
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The suspect was later found, arrested, and charged with assault.
The incident left the 64-year-old “traumatized,” with Johnson saying he “just wanted to give up” working. However, he told CityNews that he decided to stay on after some inspiration from his wife.
“You know, we watch out for each other. I thought about it and I thought about it … I said ‘Don’t give up. Persist. You’re a fighter. Keep going.’”
According to the fundraiser, launched by the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden Society of Vancouver, Johnson is a “beloved community member” and a “Chinatown advocate” who has been working with Primcorp since 2002. The GoFundMe page notes he had planned to retire next year. While the society suggests Johnson’s retirement “will be coming earlier than expected,” it’s unclear if he has changed his mind.
The fundraiser, which as of Tuesday morning had gathered more than $18,000, wants to help show Johnson “gratitude and appreciation for his 20 years of dedication and commitment to the Chinatown community.”
-With files from Andrew Cowie and Denise Wong
