Anti-mandate protester targets students outside B.C. high school in racist tirade

RCMP in B.C.'s Okanagan are investigating after anti-mandate protesters targeted high school students in Oliver.

The confrontations happened Friday outside Southern Okanagan Secondary School.

A woman was caught on camera screaming in a student's face.

Mounties say she yelled "profanities with racist undertones."

“The actions of these protestors is unacceptable. The safety of children at school is very important and a place of learning appears to have been violated,” wrote Sgt. Don Wrigglesworth of Oliver RCMP in an email to CTV News.

Wrigglesworth says an officer went to the school the day prior and observed a small group of anti-mask protestors near the school, but off of school property.

“There was no indication of unruly behaviour and the officers working were required to attend to other calls for service,” he said.

The RCMP says the encounter remains under investigation.

Wrigglesworth says the woman in the video has been identified and charges are coming.

“I have spoken with the family of the young lady involved and will continue to liaise with her and her family,” he said.

Police say they’ve been in touch with the school, the mayor, and leaders from the Indo-Canadian and First Nations Community.

The Town of Oliver issued a statement Tuesday, calling the protester’s actions “misdirected.”

“Oliver residents are doing their best to follow the mandates and orders placed by the provincial and federal health officers in our efforts to lessen the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Demanding change to mandates or orders by demonstrating at a high school, with an elementary school adjacent, served no purpose or benefit,” the statement from the town says.

B.C.’s education minister also condemned the behaviour.

“Schools are not appropriate places for these kinds of demonstrations. It's completely inappropriate for adults in communities to be harassing and intimidating students in that way. Particularly with the racist overtones there were to those exchanges,” said Jennifer Whiteside.

New legislation makes it illegal to protest within a 20-metre "bubble zone" around facilities like schools and hospitals.