UBC student beaten, robbed on bus worries incident was racially motivated

Charlotte Alden
author
Andrew Ha
author
Published on Aug. 2, 2020
“Regardless of the motive this should never happen.” File Zubair Hirji

A UBC student alleges she was assaulted on the 14 bus on Friday night.

The student, a 24-year-old woman and Canadian permanent resident, worries that this case is symptomatic of increased anti-Asian racism in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At around 10:15 p.m., the UBC student said she was taking the bus home from work when she alleges she was assaulted by four teenagers. She said in an email that she has bruises all over her body and has pain in her head and neck.

The student said that after the teenagers mocked her for bringing her printer onboard, they pulled out a bottle of vodka and began vaping.

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['auto'] Courtesy Student

After she told them to stop, she said the bus driver phoned transit police as the situation escalated. The group of teenagers attempted to flee the bus, she claims, so the student tried to stop them.

Some of the teens began punching her, with punching and kicking continuing until they eventually stole her laptop, wallet and phone, she said, adding that no one stepped in to help her.

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['auto'] Courtesy Student

Transit Police confirmed to the Vancouver Sun that at around 11:20 p.m., a woman on the bus noticed a group of teens vaping and drinking alcohol.

An argument ensued, with the woman robbed of her backpack, police said.

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['auto'] Courtesy Student

“I am now scared to live here and disappointed to others who ignore the whole situation and could save one Asian girl beaten horribly by four Caucasian minors,” the student wrote in an email to The Ubyssey.

Chief Officer Dave Jones of the Metro Vancouver Transit Police tweeted on Saturday night that four minors have been arrested and charged in relation to the incident. According to the Vancouver Sun’s report, they were arrested at the Commercial-Broadway SkyTrain Station.

The youth were released on condition that they appear in court with their guardians.

“Regardless of the motive this should never happen,” Chief Officer Jones tweeted. The Transit Police media liaison was unavailable for comment by the time of publishing.