Woman arrested after altercation with anti-racism protesters outside Richmond courthouse, RCMP say
Police in Richmond say they are still investigating after an altercation between anti-racism protesters and a woman outside the city's courthouse on Wednesday afternoon.
The 44-year-old woman from Vancouver has been arrested and released on a promise to appear in court on Oct. 20, Richmond RCMP say in a news release issued Thursday.
Police have not named the woman. They say she faces possible charges of assault and mischief.
The arrest stems from an incident that occurred around 2:30 p.m. outside Richmond provincial court.
Several protesters were outside the courthouse because the two people accused in an alleged hate incident in a Steveston coffee shop in March were scheduled to appear in court that afternoon.
A separate confrontation between protesters and the man facing a charge of mischief in that case was caught on camera Wednesday afternoon.
Police say demonstrators told them that the woman exited the courthouse and confronted them, "hitting several of them and damaging at least one cell phone in the process."
No one was seriously injured in the incident, police say.
Richmond RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Ian Henderson says in the news release that reports that the woman's motivation for confronting the protesters was anti-Asian sentiment "may be inaccurate."
“Initial information suggests the accused had been at the courthouse on a completely unrelated matter, and took offence to being video recorded by demonstrators," Henderson says. "Richmond RCMP investigators continue to investigate this matter fully, and we encourage the public to reserve judgment at least until the investigation is complete."
Multiple protesters have contacted CTV News Vancouver to say that the woman was a passerby. They allege that she started the confrontation by smashing protesters' signs near the street before entering the building, and became violent when the demonstrators attempted to ask why she had done so.
“Hate has no place in Richmond, and we support those in our community who are standing up against it," Henderson says in the release. “But initial media reports alleging that this matter was yet another hate incident may be inaccurate."
CTV News did not describe the incident as an anti-Asian hate crime in its reporting on Wednesday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air quality alerts issued as wildfire smoke spreads east from Western Canada
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
Steal a car, lose your driver's licence under new Ontario proposal
Repeat car thieves may face lengthy license bans under proposed changes to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
Ellen DeGeneres addresses the 'hurtful' end of her talk show in new stand-up set
Ellen DeGeneres is reflecting on how her talk show came to an end in her newest Netflix special, 'Ellen's Last Stand ... Up Tour.'
When you have a moment's notice to evacuate, what do you take?
Knowing what to have at home, or take with you for an evacuation, can be useful and even life-saving.
LIVE UPDATES Michael Cohen will face a bruising cross-examination by Trump's lawyers at the hush money trial
Donald Trump’s fixer-turned-foe returns to the witness stand Tuesday for a bruising round of questioning from the former president’s lawyers.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Risks of handcuffing someone facedown long known; people die when police training fails to keep up
For decades, police across the United States have been warned that the common tactic of handcuffing someone facedown could turn deadly if officers pin them on the ground with too much pressure or for too long.
A healthy lifestyle can mitigate genetic risk for early death by 62%, study suggests
Even if your genetics put you at greater risk for early death, a healthy lifestyle could help you significantly combat it, according to a new study.
Sunchips, Munchies recalled by Frito Lay Canada for possible salmonella contamination
Frito Lay Canada is recalling two of its most popular snacks due to a possible risk of salmonella contamination.