Rally held outside Richmond courthouse where pair charged in cafe incident were to appear

Dozens of Richmondites held a short rally outside Richmond Provincial Court Wednesday morning to condemn anti-Asian hate. 

Members from Stop Anti-Asian Hate Crimes advocacy group waved signs, with some reading “Hate is a virus,” outside the courthouse where a couple charged with mischief from an alleged racial incident at a Steveston coffee shop were to appear. 

In March, the News reported how the incident was caught on security camera at Steveston’s Rocanini Coffee Roasters, showing the couple and appearing to throw coffee on the floor and in the direction of a staff member after being asked to move tables to accommodate social distancing rules. 

The incident also involved alleged racial slurs, which the couple hurled at the staff person, who is of Asian ethnicity, according to the police. 

The couple were scheduled to attend a court hearing at 9 a.m. Wednesday, but the hearing was rescheduled to July 28. 

Ivan Pak, organizer of the advocacy group, said they initially planned to attend the court to show support for the Asian community but were later notified that currently no in-person hearings are allowed due to the pandemic. 

“For me, Canada is a place where everyone is equal and we share the foundation values based upon freedom. As immigrants, we might have our own languages, cultures and traditions, but we share the same Canadian values. We all have a role to play to build a better society. The process might take time and effort, but we are determined,” said Pak.