Victim of racist rant in Richmond, B.C. accepts apology from suspect

Warning: This story contains language some readers may find offensive. Discretion is advised. 

Richmond RCMP say a man has apologized for racial comments made during an incident in Richmond last week, and the victim has forgiven him.

RCMP want to apologize for what it called a “very obvious miscommunication issue” between police and the victim.

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Details of an alleged racist altercation near Garry Point Park were recently posted to social media.

According to the post, a woman and her mother were walking in the area of Moncton Street and 6th Avenue when two men inside a parked car near yelled “stupid ch–s!” and told them to “go back to China.”

On Friday, RCMP said they spoke to all the parties involved and one of the men issued a letter of apology to the victim and the Asian community.

“Hate breeds hate and during these times we need to be more loving and understanding,” the letter says.

The victim has accepted the apology, RCMP say, and does not want to pursue the matter in court.

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“She is satisfied with the outcome and is ready to move on,” RCMP Cpl. Adriana Peralta said.

The social media post claimed the responding officer said the investigation was “out of their jurisdiction” since the suspects were not from Richmond.

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RCMP say they did maintain jurisdiction of the investigation, but acknowledged that “communication could have been better at the onset. ”

Police in Metro Vancouver have noted a rise hate-motivated incidents, many targeting people of Asian descent, amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Earlier this month, Vancouver police said they had dealt with 20 reports of anti-Asian hate crimes so far this year, compared to 12 in all of 2019.