After Vancouver, Victoria also faced a series of violent attacks on vulnerable people by youth groups.
These are random acts of aggression committed by large groups of young people, sometimes over a hundred people, who are often drunk.
The police service says many of them are from towns outside Victoria. Gatherings are organized and shared online, as is the case in Vancouversaid spokesman Bowen Osoko.
In fact, there are significant similarities between the incidents in the two cities. It’s the same technology, sometimes it’s the same groups within TikTok or Snapchat apps, and the same accounts, hosting events in different places.
Despite weeks of intervention in the schools and families of those involved, the situation remains worrying according to the police department.
” It was only a few hours and someone was seriously injured or killed. “
random attacks
A typical incident is one on May 6: twenty youths surrounded a couple on Douglas Street, and randomly attacked them, punched them and grabbed one of the men in the throat.
That same night, about 100 youths gathered near Government and Douglas streets and some of them jumped on car roofs, kicked in doors, and damaged public transportation signs. .
In another incident, police alerted a young woman lying on the road with hand wounds. They learned that he was part of a mob of young people who surrounded and assaulted two people. When the victims fled towards their vehicle, the group surrounded them and beat them causing severe injuries.
Bowen Osoko described another incident, involving a racialized person in the community. He was about his business, he didn’t know this group, and then he was surrounded by 25 young people. They hit, kicked, punched. They spat on him.
Bowen Osoko sent a warning to young people who might consider participating in such a gathering: Back then, we drove people home. We called their parents. Now, if you commit violence, you will be arrested.
This weekend, police want to be prepared for anything that might happen. He increased his presence downtown and also tweeted his Friday night conversations live.
On Friday night, the police department reported several arrests, including a youth damaging property in a parking lot on Store Street, and others who smashed windows on View Street.
According to information from CHEK News
Source: Radio-Canada
