Surrey RCMP Corporal Elenore Sturko says police B次元官网网址渄onB次元官网网址檛 have enough evidenceB次元官网网址� to support an assault charge in connection with an argument between a group of elderly women and other park goers that occurred at Aspen Park in Newton on July 28 that has gone viral with allegations of racism.

Still, an investigation continues. B次元官网网址淲e have done a neighbourhood canvass to see if there is any other video, surveillance video available,B次元官网网址� Sturko said. B次元官网网址淥f course responses change based on revolving information.B次元官网网址�

Sturko said a B次元官网网址渢hird partyB次元官网网址� called police about a disturbance at the park but no allegations of racism had originally been reported to police. B次元官网网址淚t came in as a disturbance with a group of 20-something year old men shouting at a group of elderly South Asian woman. When officer got there, there was no group of young men.

Sergeant Elenore Sturko

B次元官网网址淗e found there was a woman there and another man who were in a dispute over garbage with the group of South Asian women and their grandkids. He determined that some garbage was thrown in the general direction of the women and no assault had taken place, he confirmed that at the time.B次元官网网址�

Sturko said the officer spoke to the woman who allegedly threw the garbage onto the ground, and the woman then left the park. B次元官网网址淭he officer started cleaning up the garbage and invited the young kids that were also there to assist if they wanted to,B次元官网网址� and then concluded the file. Several days later, a social media post, posted on Instagram by a third party who Sturko said was not there at the time of the incident.

After , RCMP decided to assign a couple of officers to B次元官网网址渕ake contact if they couldB次元官网网址� with all involved and are continuing to investigate. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 believed that it actually was a dispute that started to emerge over a few different encounters.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淪ome of the information that we got from social media may not be accurate,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淗owever, what can be seen was that there was some racialized language being used in that disturbance and thatB次元官网网址檚 obviously concerning and so itB次元官网网址檚 something that we have been speaking about with all the parties that were involved and certainly donB次元官网网址檛 condone any of that activity.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淪ome of the allegations that were made on the social media post were not substantiated with the interviews that we did,B次元官网网址� Sturko added. B次元官网网址淭here was allegations on there that people had dog excrement thrown at them and on them, and french fries in their faces and stuff like that but none of the women who were part of the group, they did not provide that as part of their statement.B次元官网网址�

Sturko expressed surprise upon learning of news reports Monday that indicated the couple subsequently offered an apology through the RCMP.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know where they get their information because thatB次元官网网址檚 not a question they asked me,B次元官网网址� she said.

Meantime, Imtiaz Popat, co-founder of the Coalition Against Bigotry-Pacific, issued a press release Aug. 3 titled B次元官网网址淪urrey RCMP is Part of the Racist Problem.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淪urrey RCMP dismissed the racist attack over the weekend and Aspen Park and blamed the South Asian grandmothers for littering and forced them to pick up garbage that was thrown at them by racists,B次元官网网址� Popat claimed.

Sturko replied that is incorrect. B次元官网网址淣o one was forced, I think itB次元官网网址檚 important to note that the officer was trying to defuse a situation, a neighbourhood dispute. He was unaware of the racialized comments at that time.B次元官网网址�

tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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