"Increased level of aggression": Vancouver police speak out on protests

Vancouver police say protests in the city have become more and more aggressive in recent weeks and are condemning the actions of one protester after an officer was apparently assaulted earlier this month.

On Saturday, March 2, the VPD says officers had formed a line blocking hundreds of protesters attempting to shut down the Granville Street Bridge, when one of the police officers was hurt as the group tried to push through.

“The constable was injured when a protester struck her in the face and used a small stick with a flag attached to poke at her eyes,” Vancouver police said Friday.

According to the force, the suspect quickly took off.

Protest organizers say 4,000 people marched in the “Millions March for Pal3st1ne (worldwide) Hands Off Rafah: Stop The Genocide” event earlier this month, and video shows many attendees marching peacefully throughout the downtown area onto the bridge.

 

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A post shared by Fatima Jaffer (@fatsjaffer)

In a social media post by Fatima Jaffer, Jaffer celebrated the actions of protesters as they were able to close “a critical bridge linking downtown Vancouver to the mainland on Saturday” in the rally and march.

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Organizers have shared calls to action for other rallies in “direct response to Israel’s blatant escalation of its genocide of the Palestinian people” and are among the many groups behind protests that have sprung up around the world over the Israel-Hamas war.

Activists shut down Granville Bridge in Vancouver in solidarity with Palestine and in protest of the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/M27OqWnazK

— PALESTINE ONLINE 🇵🇸 (@OnlinePalEng) March 4, 2024

Police claim to see an “increased level of aggression”

“While most people continue to act lawfully and respectfully, we’ve noted an increased level of aggression and hostility from some participants at recent gatherings. Their actions have endangered our officers and the public,” Constable Tania Visintin said in a release Friday.

Visintin is appealing for anyone who knows the suspect to come forward. She has been at previous protests, Visintin says, but her identity is unknown.

Vancouver police

Vancouver police

“The suspect has a heavy build and shoulder-length dark hair. She was wearing a dark-coloured sweater and leggings, distinctive pink shoes, and reading glasses. She was also wearing a tan baseball cap, a white and red scarf, and a black medical face mask,” she said.

Anyone who witnessed the assault or recognizes the suspect is asked to call VPD’s Major Crime Section at 604-717-2541.