Racial attack done in broad daylight

The most revered symbol of the Sikh faith was violated last Thursday when a local high school student had his turban forcibly removed and hair shorn during a brazen daylight attack in a local elementary school field.

Around 5:15 p.m. on May 26, the 17-year-old boy was heading home, walking through the R.M. Grauer elementary school field near Railway and Blundell roads, when five Caucasian males who had been playing basketball approached after directing a racial slur at him.

The Richmond Review contacted members of the distraught family of the teen who was attacked and has agreed not to publish their name, address or the name of the school their son attends.

As difficult as it has been to deal with last week’s attack, the family was not expecting the media to descend on its home, knock on their door and have camera crews camped out front of its residence for a couple of hours on Tuesday.

“It’s already hard enough,” one family member said.

The circumstances of the attack, which was preceded by a racial slur directed at the victim, makes it apparent there was some sort of racial motivation.

But was this a hate crime?

Not according to Mark Jette, a defence lawyer and chair of the Canadian Bar Association’s Vancouver Criminal Justice section.

While there may be racial motivations behind the attack, that doesn’t make it a hate crime as defined by the Criminal Code of Canada.

“This is simply common violence...arguably motivated by racial hatred which means if somebody is caught and successfully prosecuted (they) might get more of a sentence than they otherwise would get.”

Under the criminal code, a hate crime involves someone advocating or promoting the genocide of any identifiable group, or who communicates statements in a public place that incites hatred for any identifiable group.

“There’s lots of little incidents that happen that may have racial overtones that develop but to actually hunt somebody down and apparently attack them and humiliate them...because of their racial background and their religion in this case, I don’t think it’s that common in this country. I hope it isn’t. I certainly don’t see cases like that across my desk.

“This one sounds more clearly like it might be the reason why the crime happened.”

Jette pointed out that even if only one or two of the five men were physically involved in the attack, the others who only watched could be charged with obstructing justice if they concoct a false story to cover up what truly transpired or take part in the concealing or destruction of evidence.

Though the victim ignored the racial epithet and walked away, the attackers, described as in their early 20s, ran after him and punched him several times in the head, and knocked him to the ground in the process.

At one point, a sharp weapon described as a box cutter was held to the youth’s neck and he was kicked in the side and asked if he had any “cigarettes, weed or money.”

After replying that he didn’t, the assailants searched his pockets and he was robbed of his wallet and personal papers. At one point, one of the men pulled off his Sikh turban, or dastaar, and cut off his hair with what the victim believes was the same instrument that had earlier been held to his neck.

All five men fled on foot in an unknown direction and the victim ran home and called police.

News of the assault was quickly met with outrage by the Sikh community.

Balwant Sanghera, president of the Sikh Societies of the Lower Mainland, was dismayed by news of the attack when first contacted by The Richmond Review.

“I’m shocked and really sad to hear that. It’s something we cannot tolerate and accept, especially in a place like Richmond. We’re very proud of the intercultural harmony we have.”

Though police officers canvassed the neighbourhood around Grauer school, no witnesses have surfaced.

Richmond RCMP Cpl. Peter Thiessen said police waited until Tuesday to release details about the attack because they first wanted to verify certain information.

Even if a witness only saw the men playing basketball at Grauer’s basketball courts that afternoon, and not the attack itself, police still want to know. Tips should be directed to Richmond RCMP Const. Mike Bhatti at 604-278-1212 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

Asked if this incident might be fabricated, Thiessen said that question has been posed of the victim and investigators are convinced the teen is being sincere and the incident did occur.