Racist graffiti left Kelowna last month Hate crimes and police-reported incidents increased in four B.C. metropolitan cities. in 2021, some even doubled from 2020. This is according to recent data from Statistics Canada. The national organization included Abbotsford-Mission, Kelowna, Vancouver and Victoria in its announcement. These metro areas accounted for a 21 percent increase in crime and incidents reported to police from 2020 to 2021. Glacier Media reached out to each police agency to find out what the increase was and also what kind of hate crime incidents were reported in 2021. In 2021, Abbotsford-Mission saw an increase from eight to 16 hate-reported incidents. Sgt. Paul Walker with Abbotsford Police says the department saw nine records related to mischief involving graffiti-related symbols left on buildings and public spaces. “The seven further files were files involving people making specific verbal comments to other citizens that were derogatory or racial in nature,” he says. In 2020, the department saw similar numbers for derogatory or racial comments, but not graffiti crimes. In Kelowna, police-reported hate crime incidents increased from six to 24 from 2020 to 2021. Kelowna RCMP Supt. Kara Triance said the numbers were troubling for the squad. “We actually had a chance to dig into the hate crime statistics because they jumped off the pages. Extremely disturbing,” he says. Triance attributes the rise to the COVID-19 pandemic. “I can say for sure that this is a COVID-related, disturbing and disgusting and horrible response to people making anti-Semitic comments to people … referring to the mask mandates and federal government mandates,” he says. During a media press conference, Triance clarified that hate crime incidents and hate crimes are two different things. “These came about as hate-reported incidents, which means we can have a protest and it’s related to hate, or we can have a targeted response to an individual and hate is projected. But there’s not necessarily a crime being committed, so they haven’t attacked someone and made a statement of hate,” he says. Vancouver police, which have an entire hate crime task force, also point to the pandemic for the increase (from 372 to 429). “We can’t give a definitive answer, but of the hate crimes reported since the start of the pandemic, there has definitely been an increase in anti-Asian hate,” says Const. Tania Visintin. “This would be a direct result of the pandemic.” Glacier Media contacted Victoria Police to find out why the number of police-reported hate crime incidents increased from 35 to 40, but did not receive a response. The data, released Tuesday, showed that crime reported by Victoria Police in 2021 was again well above the provincial and Vancouver averages. The index, which measures the volume and severity of police-reported crime last year, noted Victoria’s index was 148, a slight improvement from 2020’s 168 but still well above the provincial index of 93 and Vancouver 90. Statistics Canada also noted that in 2021, there were a total of 3,360 hate crimes and 1,723 were motivated by race or ethnicity, 884 were religion, 423 were sexual orientation, 199 were other motivations and 131 were “unknown”. The number of police-reported hate crimes in Canada increased by 27 per cent in 2021, rising from 2,646 incidents to 3,360. This follows a 36 percent increase in police-reported hate crimes from 2019 to 2020. LAWYERS ASK FOR EXCITEMENT Muhi Bakini, diversity training supervisor at Archway Community Services, is an advocate and provides support for people experiencing hate crime. When he saw the release on Tuesday, he was horrified. “Like any concerned Canadian citizen, I was shocked and … disappointed,” he says. “This is a little worrying. That’s not just an increase, it’s actually doubled.” Bakini says it’s important to think about why there was an increase, and perhaps further interpretation is needed. “Is it really an increase in the number of hate crimes in the cities, or is it actually an indication that something positive and good is actually happening in terms of the police being able to identify and investigate these incidents? … Because traditionally they are ignored or not taken seriously,” he says. One possibility he points to is the community trusting the police and coming forward with their experiences. “Members of the public are gaining more trust in the police and are leading them to report these incidents to the police. I’m really hoping that’s what’s happening instead of actually seeing an increase,” he tells Glacier Media. The mental and psychological impact often follows hate crimes, and his department provides a safe space and outlet for victims to use, he says. “We assess the situation and sometimes refer clients to mental health specialists, sometimes to legal advocacy.” Some “newcomers” he works with often do not fully understand that they have experienced a hate crime. In his current role, he spends a lot of time working with people who have been targeted. “It’s really just about being able to hear them, people would like to be heard and validated. So, most of the time, I just lend my ears and listen, and they can vent and then understand their experiences,” says Bacini. He wants the public to know that hate crimes are real in Canada and for people to have an empathetic approach to the people they’ve taken. “Happens. People experience victimization and vulnerabilities,” she says. “I hope this data is like a wake-up call for all of us to do something.” If you or someone you know has experienced a hate crime, a 24/7 helpline is available by calling or texting 1-800-563-0808. You can also send email [email protected] Photo: Flourish Police-reported hate crime, broken down by motive.
