A man who drove towards a protestor, nearly hitting them, earlier this month has now been charged, according to Victoria Police.
On Dec. 3, there was a protest at the B.C. legislature calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. At the protest, video shows a driver driving onto the sidewalk towards a protestor, and seemingly stopped because the protestor ran behind protective bollards.
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On Dec. 15, Victoria Police announced charges had been sworn against the driver for one count each of Assault with a Weapon and Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle.
The man has been arrested and is in custody.
Donald Smith recorded the incident where the man drove towards a protestor and told CHEK News on Dec. 3, “It was a little scary.”
“This got heated. He (the driver) lost his temper,” Smith told CHEK News. “Everybody has a right to protest and democracy, but you don’t have the right to use your car as a weapon.”
Dock Currie, with the Vancouver Island Peace Council, told CHEK News the incident is appalling. He says these acts of violence come from people who think Palestinian protesters are pro-Hamas.
“That can devolve down into a lot of angry ignorance, and I think that’s what we saw with this gentleman with the car, as I think we’ve seen with the three Palestinian students shot in Vermont, as I think we’ve seen with a bunch of incidents over the last little while,” said Currie on Dec. 4.
Laura Brougham
