WARNING: This story contains strong and offensive language. Discretion is advised.
A Chilliwack, B.C., man has turned himself in for arrest in Vancouver after a homophobic tirade was caught on video on Granville Street.
Vancouver police said the 34-year-old Chilliwack resident turned himself in to its hate crime unit Thursday morning.
“We are continuing our investigation and we will be recommending charges to Crown Counsel,” said Sgt. Steve Addison.
“This is a hate crime investigation. This is serious and did affect a lot of people.”
The man was arrested in connection with the reported crime and for an unrelated firearms offence, police said.
Charges have not been laid and the man is scheduled to appear in court on March 29.
“We are really happy the person, we believe is in the video, did come forward and did identify themselves,” Addison said.
On Jan. 28, a B.C. couple said they were followed by a stranger when they got off the SkyTrain.
Jamie Pine and his boyfriend were on the train when a stranger started yelling at them, calling them names and using homophobic slurs.
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They got off at the Burrard Street station and the man continued to follow them and yell at them.
“When we got here he tailed us, right behind us, off the SkyTrain and then started hurling abuse at us,” Pine told Global News.
He said the man seemed very angry that they had somehow made contact with each other on the train, allegedly in front of children.
“There are kids on the train,” the man can be heard saying in the video. “Keep your f***ing hands to yourself.”
Pine said his boyfriend’s arm was only resting on his knees.
“There was no touching, kissing, no affection,” Pine said. “We were just talking.”
He said the man did not seem sober and he was holding an open can of beer.
After they got off the SkyTrain the man told the couple to get out of Canada, that he doesn’t want their kind “in his country” and then called them a homophobic slur and threw the empty can at their feet.
The man left but after a short time came back and when Pine said his boyfriend is the person he loves, the man told him that it is “not normal.”
He then proceeded to say that where he lives, in a town of 5,000 people, he never sees anyone touch anyone else in public.
Pine heard of the arrest of a suspect on Saturday. He declined an interview but did say, “I am happy with the outcome for now and hope to see charges made.”
B.C. Premier David Eby and Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim tweeted in support of Pine and his boyfriend, saying there is no place for this behaviour anytime, anywhere.
Pine said he wanted to put the video out there to bring awareness that this type of attack still happens.
“It wasn’t just an attack on me,” Pine said. “It was an attack on our community. Every LGBTQ person who sees that video feels personally attacked. It’s not OK.”
— with files from Global BC’s Amy Judd and Jennifer Palma
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