A heated argument ended when two seniors poured hot soup on a mall food court patron, Mounties were told.

Members of the Burnaby RCMP were called to the Crystal Mall over the weekend for strange incident, which was reported shortly after noon.

The alleged assault was reported by a 43-year-old woman who'd been in an argument with the seniors when tempers boiled over.

Witnesses also told Mounties there had been some kind of verbal altercation.

Police did not say what was behind the dispute, but said that the woman and seniors did not know each other.

The victim did not suffer apparent physical injuries and did not require an ambulance, the RCMP said in a statement.

The seniors were told of their Charter rights and told that the incident was an assault. They were then arrested and escorted to a police vehicle waiting outside the mall.

A Mandarin-speaking officer spoke to them to ensure they understood their legal rights before they were released on a promise to appear in court.