A Vancouver Island mayor and the leader of a local First Nation say they are outraged over a racist video posted to Facebook early Tuesday morning.
The video shows a white pickup truck driving through the Tseshaht First Nation reserve in Port Alberni. As the truck drives closer to the camera, a whooping sound can be heard.
Cynthia Dick, the nation’s elected chief councillor, called it a “shocking, racially-fueled incident.”
“While this incident is upsetting, we are determined to emerge stronger and to use this as an opportunity to foster unity and teach our children what it takes to build a happy, healthy community that respects diversity and celebrates individuality,” Dick said in a statement posted on Facebook.
She said the RCMP are investigating who was behind the racist remark.
“We stand shoulder to shoulder with Tseshaht and all First Nations people,” Mayor Sharie Minions said.
“In recent days, much of the world news has focused on the systemic racial divide, and our close-knit community is certainly not immune to these problems, but we have to be better. We are better.
“We have to show kindness and respect to all walks of life, and at the same time, unite with one voice when racism rears its ugly head.”
In the Facebook post, Minions went on to say that it was not a one-time incident, and that to write it off that way would be certainly be easier but would also be unfair to every person in the area who has been the victim of racism.
Port Alberni RCMP is asking anyone with information to contact them at 250-723-2424.
Around the world, thousands of people have flooded the streets in the past week to protest police brutality and racial injustice following the death of George Floyd, the Black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes.