Four suspects are being charged in connection with a tennis court assault in Aldergrove, B.C., that police say may have been racially motivated.
On Friday evening, Langley RCMP received a call that six South Asian men were being threatened, robbed and taunted with racial slurs by a group of young suspects.
Police say the assailants picked up nearby fence boards, and proceeded to hit one of the victims in the head before stealing their belongings and fleeing.
"There is an element of hate involved here that we have to investigate further," Insp. Amrik Virk said Monday. "It is an anomaly. These things do not occur every day, it happened in family neighbourhood."
Now, four teenagers - including two who will be charged as young offenders - have been arrested and are facing charges.
Surrey resident Rodney J. Mercieca, 19, will be facing 12 counts, including four counts of robbery and six counts of assault with a weapon. He is appearing in court Tuesday morning.
Langley resident Leslie A. Rotwell, 18, is facing the same charges, and will appear in court June 25.
The two youths, aged 15 and 16, will face lesser charges, including two counts of robbery each, and one count each of assault with a weapon. They are both due in court on June 17.
Cpl. Holly Marks says that although hate crime legislation only deals with inciting hatred, the suspects may face stiffer sentences if prosecutors determine hate was a factor in the assault.
"If they prove that here is a hate element to a crime, it is an aggravating factor at sentencing," Marks said.
The assault victim was treated for bruises and a bump on his head, and released.
