Kelowna RCMP are now investigating a disturbing incident that occurred at the Black Lives Matter rally on Friday.
As hundreds of Kelowna demonstrators took a knee during nearly nine minutes of silence in memory of George Floyd, a man in the passenger seat of a passing vehicle appeared to give the Nazi salute.
The offensive gesture, considered in modern times as a racist symbol for white nationalism, was captured by photographer Adam Newton-Blows at the anti-racism rally Friday.
The photographs, provided to Global News, show a white Ford truck F350 with three Caucasian men inside driving past the Black Lives Matter demonstration on Bernard Avenue.
A man in the front passenger seat can be seen extending his right arm to neck height and straightening his hand, while the men in the vehicle appear to laugh.
As Newton-Blows snapped the photos, he said someone in the vehicle threw a can at him, before the truck sped away.
“I hope that these bigots think twice about their heinous behaviour,” said Newton-Blows.
Witnesses say the man’s arm was extended in the Nazi salute position for several seconds and it did not appear he was waving at someone on the street.
Cpl. Chris Manseau says a Nazi salute gestured during a hate rally could constitute “willfully promoting hatred” under the criminal code, but its unclear what kind of charge Crown counsel could consider given the circumstances at the Kelowna anti-racism protest.
Manseau said he forwarded the information to the Kelowna RCMP detachment for further consideration.
On Monday morning, RCMP issued a news release that stated “This is an active RCMP investigation. There have been no arrests to date.”
The driver of the truck has not contacted Global News, but has denied the incident to other media outlets.
Dozens of protesters were on one knee, holding a clenched fist in the air, for eight minutes and 47 seconds to mark the time during which Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on George Floyd’s neck.
His death has inspired international protests and drawn new attention to the treatment of African Americans by police and the criminal justice system.
The officer, Derek Chauvin, has since been charged with second-degree murder.