Hate accusations loom after racist tirade filmed outside Kelowna vaccination clinic

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Investigators will recommend hate-related charges against a man who was filmed attacking a security guard at a vaccination clinic last summer, the senior Kelowna Mounted Police official said.

Insp. Kara Triance, the officer in charge, described the incident as “deplorable” during a press briefing Monday at the local detachment.

“Statements have been obtained in this case, and this case is being considered for the threshold of a hate crime,” Triance said. “This threshold is extremely high.”

Read more: You’re Not a Canadian: Racist tirade filmed outside Kelowna vaccination clinic

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Video emerged of a protester shouting racist charges against a security guard who asked him to leave the Trinity Church vaccination clinic on Springfield Road on July 13.

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He said to the guard: “Shut up. Return to India. You are not Canadian, you are disgusting.

The security guard was Anmol Singh, a 23-year-old South Asian immigrant, who has lived in Kelowna for four years.

In response to the recent incident at a COVID testing site in #Kelowna where one of our security guards was racially targeted, we would like to reiterate our #full support to our involved security officer, Anmol, and all of our staff of # first line. [1/3]

– Paladin Security (@PaladinSecurity) July 15, 2021

I felt really bad, like I felt it was a hate crime, Singh told Global News.

I also talked to the police, because I didn’t feel well at all and the way he said it in front of a lot of people really hurt me. When I got home afterwards, I couldn’t sleep.

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Singh said he hadn’t experienced much racism in Canada, but this incident was traumatic.

I started (this job) only two months ago, so it’s totally new to me, he said.

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I really feel overwhelmed. I have the impression that I am not welcome in this country.

He said he wanted to be a police officer, which is why he became a security guard.

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Racism has no place in our community, and I want to reassure the public that this matter is receiving the full attention of our general investigative support team in consultation with the Provincial Hate Crimes Unit, ”said the Minister. Kelowna RCMP at the time.

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When asked for an update on the investigation, Triance said she expects officers to file charges with the BC Prosecution Service.

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“What we’re doing here is making sure we have all the evidence that we can put together and present the best possible case,” she said.

“This is not a case our police officers would investigate on a daily basis, and so it is a case that required significant collaboration with the BC Prosecution Service, and a little more time to ensure that we are delivering the right package. . “

– With the files of Doyle Potenteau and Darrian Matassa-Fung

© 2021 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

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