SCMP reports that Vancouver police are on the search for a man who attacked a 92-year-old Asian man and shouted racist slurs about the Coronavirus.
CCTV footage shows the suspect pushing the elderly man out of a convenience store and dragging him to the ground.
The victim suffered from severe dementia and his family had reported him missing an hour before the attack.
Staff had tried to help the lost man but the suspect intervened and started shouting racist abuse at him before throwing hip outside.
“As the staff were trying to assist the elderly man the suspect began yelling racist remarks at the victim that included comments of Covid-19,” the police stated.
“The suspect grabbed the victim by the arm and forcefully brought him outside the store where he shoved the victim to the ground causing the victim to hit his head on the pavement.”
Police added that the attack was part of a “wave of anti-Asian hate crimes” in the city linked to the pandemic.
“Everything about this assault and the behaviour of the suspect is despicable,” said Constable Tania Visintin, a media relations officer.
“As a police department, we do not tolerate incidents motivated by bias, prejudice, or hate. It’s even more disturbing considering the victim’s age.”
“We know that hate crimes and hate-motivated incidents are generally under-reported. We believe the increase in March is indicative of a larger issue,” said Visintin. “We are making a plea to victims or people who witness hate crimes to please come forward and report the incidents to police so they can be investigated.”
Police are now asking for the public’s help as they track down and identify the suspect, who fled the scene before officers arrived.
“The suspect is described as a white man in his 50s.” The police described. “He’s believed to be about six feet tall with a heavy build. He has dark short hair that and is balding on top. He was wearing a grey button-up shirt with a black t-shirt with a white skull design on the front. Black pants and black running shoes. He was also wearing a thick gold bracelet a gold necklace and several gold rings.”
In related news, Canadian sportswear brand Lululemon has issued an apology after an employee promoted a racist Coronavirus-related T-shirt.
