A driver was arrested in Victoria for allegedly accelerating his car at someone taking part in a peace march for Palestine on Sunday (Dec. 3).
Victoria police said the man driving the vehicle was arrested for assault with a weapon and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle. The mansa国际传媒檚 actions also drew condemnation from a national Muslim organization, which called them racist after his outburst included telling one of the marchsa国际传媒檚 demonstrators to sa国际传媒済o back to Jordan.sa国际传媒�
Videos of the incident posted online show a grey Nissan sedan accelerate at a person walking on the sidewalk beside the protective bollards on the B.C. legislaturesa国际传媒檚 grounds. The pedestrian had to run to narrowly evade the car as it the driver reportedly sped toward them.
In a video, the driver is seen getting out of his car and approaching another attendee of the demonstration who was watching the situation unfold.
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sa国际传媒淪o when are you going to get the f***in reality and go back to Jordan,sa国际传媒� the driver continued.
A uniformed protective services staff member then steps into the frame. The demonstrator then tells the protective services officer that the driver tried to attack them and the driver responds by yelling sa国际传媒渢his guy is a terrorist organization supporter.sa国际传媒�
The National Council of Canadian Muslims also posted the video on Monday (Dec. 4) and said it was deeply concerned by the incident.
sa国际传媒淭his is the kind of apparent violence we have seen increase across this country. It is reprehensible, and our leaders must step up to stem this tide of hate,sa国际传媒� the organization said in a social media post.
Saying the driver accosted the march attendee with a sa国际传媒渞acist tirade,sa国际传媒� the National Council added that Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism have no place in Canada.
A man was arrested at the B.C. legislature on Dec. 3 after he accelerated his car at a Palestine march demonstrator, who was walking on the sidewalk at the time and narrowly evaded the vehicle as it sped toward them.
sa国际传媒� Victoria News (@VictoriaNews)
Chanting demonstrators walked through downtown Victoria streets holding signs on Sunday afternoon during the event called Unite for Peace: March for Palestine. The event called for a ceasefire in the almost two-month-old Israel-Hamas war, along with an sa国际传媒渆nd to the siege on Gazasa国际传媒� and to sa国际传媒渟top arming Israel.sa国际传媒�
Donald Smith posted a video of the incident on social media after he came across the march while out for a walk. The photographer regularly documents rallies and protests of all kinds.
sa国际传媒淎s a person who has covered these events, Isa国际传媒檝e never never seen a car do that in my life, he said in an interview.
Smith hopes things calm down as he knows theresa国际传媒檚 a lot of division in the country, citing clashes hesa国际传媒檚 seen in videos online between supporters of Palestinians and Israelis in recent months.
sa国际传媒淚 donsa国际传媒檛 care if yousa国际传媒檙e an Israeli, I donsa国际传媒檛 care if yousa国际传媒檙e pro-Palestinian, I donsa国际传媒檛 care if yousa国际传媒檙e BLM, I donsa国际传媒檛 care who you are, in this country of Canada we all have the right to democracy, freedom of expression, freedom of thought, freedom of whatever, but you just donsa国际传媒檛 go to a rally and use your car and basically assault people,sa国际传媒� he said.
sa国际传媒淭his hatred of people, going out there and doing this stuff, it needs to stop. It doesnsa国际传媒檛 matter who you are.sa国际传媒�
Smith said the incident happened around 2:30 p.m., which also aligns with the timeline put out by VicPD.
Police said no further arrests were made and the demonstration was able to continue without any other incidents. The arrested man was released with a future court date.
sa国际传媒淰icPD supports everyonesa国际传媒檚 right to safe, peaceful and lawful demonstration, and asks that all citizens respect this right,sa国际传媒� the force said on Monday. sa国际传媒淒angerous or unlawful activity will continue to be met with de-escalation and enforcement.sa国际传媒�
The original version of this story said the driver was arrested and police recommended charges against him. VicPD said it made an error in its initial news release as charges have not yet been recommended, and clarified that the man was arrested for assault with a weapon and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.
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