Victim of hateful verbal attack wants others to speak out when they witness racism

Shafira Vidyamaharani recorded a man making racist, threatening and hateful remarks to her on Friday June 13, Vancouver police are investigating after a 22-year-old 2-year-old Vancouver woman says she was left le shaken by a aman man who allegedly madeallegedly made racist, is threatening and hateful comments to her at a bus stop on Friday.

Shafira S Vidyamaharani, who is Muslim and wears a hijab, wants the encounter to empower people to speak out about racism when they see it happening. “I wished I had that h support when the incident happened, w while I was being threatened, while I was bein ing harassed,” she said Sunday. Vidyamaharani recorded part of the hateful encounter, which she said lasted 10 minutes, on her phone.

Vancouver police said Monday in an email to CBC that they applaud the young woman for coming forward so they could launch a timely investigation. Police said the incident happened at a bus stop on Main Street at around 11 a.m. Friday. So far no arrests have been made. The suspect’s identity remains unknown, police said. The incident follows the murders of four Muslim people in London, Ontario, who police say were targeted and run down by a driver because of their faith. That violence has left many Canadians troubled by the level of racism in this coun country. People of colour, as well as those who wear clothing that identifies their religion or culture, say they feel unsafe being out in public.T he encounter involving Vidyamaharani happened Friday at a bus stop at Main Street and East 49th Avenue while she was on her way to work.

She said a white man approached her and began asking her where she was from and what she was wearing on her head. She did not answer him and moved to stand with the other people waiting at the bus stop......