Calgary police have charged a man in connection to a road rage incident and say they are investigating if a “hate-motivated bias” contributed to the attack.
The interaction happened on Bow Trail Southwest near 24 Street Southwest at around 5:20 p.m. on Wednesday and was, according to police, captured on camera.
Police said the victim was in a car travelling 50/h in a 70 km/h zone when the driver of a Ford F-150 began tailgating him and honking.
Police said the driver of the car braked, at which time the driver of the truck drove in front of the car, coming to a stop.
“The man got out of his truck and approached the car, yelling profanities and pounding on the car window with a fist,” police said in a news release.
After returning to his truck, police allege the man backed the vehicle up against the flow of traffic and positioned it behind the car while “continuing to yell out his window.”
The driver of the car attempted to drive away, but police said the truck driver once again pulled in front of his vehicle and stopped, blocking his path.
“The truck driver exited his vehicle and again began to bang on the car window while continuing to yell profanity, vague threats and derogatory comments,” police said.
“The man then called the car driver a ‘terrorist’ and stated he had a picture of ‘Allah and Muhammad’ in his truck, before ripping the windshield wiper off the car.”
Police said the truck driver then returned to his vehicle and drove away.
Investigators used video of the incident to identify the driver.
Officers located 27-year-old Alex John Hudson at his home and charged him with mischief to a motor vehicle. Hudson is scheduled to appear in court on July 7.
Police said they are continuing to investigate the incident.
“Although the initial altercation is believed to have resulted from a road-rage incident, we are investigating whether hate-motivated bias contributed to the ongoing interaction,” a news release stated.
“Hate-motivated crimes are recognizable crimes, like assault, theft, vandalism or any other crime, where the offender was motivated by bias, prejudice or hate that is based on one of nine personal characteristics of the victim.”
Victim of attack was a Palestinian refugee with flag visible in back of car
The victim in Wednesday’s road rage incident was a Palestinian refugee who moved to Canada from the United States.
Tamer Abuhassira said he was frightened, and that the ordeal brought back memories of what it was like living in Gaza.
“He left Gaza, Palestine for this very reason, for the fear he had,” Reyad Abusalim, a translator for Abuhassira, told Global News. “He had the exact same feeling as he did in Gaza, while this person was yelling and screaming at him.”
Abuhassira had a Palestinian flag visible in the back seat of his car and feels it played a role in the incident.
“He was scared for his wife and children,” Abusalim said. “He says that his wife wears a hijab and she might be identified. He feels that his children shouldn’t have gone to school so he never let them go to school today. He’s scared.”
Abuhassira and others in the Palestinian community are also calling on the Calgary Police Service to lay additional charges against the accused, as they feel the charge of mischief to a motor vehicle doesn’t accurately represent what occurred.
“This was damage to vehicle, this was uttering threats,” says Abusalim. “This was more than a mischief to vehicle charge. We are demanding that the city police do their investigation. A mischief charge does not cover what happened yesterday.”
Police say while the accused is only facing one charge currently, that doesn’t preclude them from adding more.
“Just because the mischief offence was with laid (Wednesday) does not preclude any other offences coming forward,” Sgt. Craig Collins said. “It just meant that yesterday there was sufficient evidence for our officers — who did an amazing job — to lay charges and put somebody before a court.
“The investigation is still ongoing and if we determine there are other offences there then those charges will also follow.”
Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi didn’t mince words when discussing the incident.
“If you’re going to engage in that kind of behaviour, you’re not welcome here,” Nenshi said. “Acts of racism, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism and religious bigotry of all kinds are not welcome.”
– With files from Matthew Conrod, Global News