Racist incident in Barrhaven triggers police investigation and public outrage

A video circulating online showing two people throwing eggs at a suburban Ottawa home while making racist remarks is sparking outrage across the city and beyond, with neighbors blaming the household next door, which they say is responsible for the ongoing unrest.

The front door security camera video, which surfaced online last week, shows a man and woman standing in the driveway of a home in early June miming to Asian languages ​​in imitative gibberish. The man declares that he “f***ing hates Asians” because “they’re so ugly and can’t speak English.”

The woman who lived in the affected house told CBC News that her family, which has South Korean roots, had endured “unimaginable suffering” over the past two years due to constant noise and harassment.

“The situation has severely impacted our new home, disrupted our daily lives and robbed us of sleep, health and happiness,” she wrote in a statement, adding that she would not comment further as the matter is currently the subject of a police investigation.

Out of concern for the safety of her family, CBC has agreed not to name the woman or publish her address.

A man who identified himself as the ex-husband of the woman captured in the video told CBC that his family members were actually the real victims of an ongoing neighborhood dispute. As “one of the few white families” in the area, they were the ones being harassed, he said.

The man had originally agreed to answer CBC’s questions about the saga and provide evidence to support this alternative account, but canceled the meeting at the last minute.

“I am hiring a lawyer and will take all necessary steps to defend myself and my family,” he wrote in a text message.

The landlord of the building where the alleged perpetrators live declined to speak to CBC about his tenants, who have received dozens of complaints about noise ordinances since 2023.

Several residents of the newly developed area told CBC that tenants often played loud music late into the evening, threw trash at their neighbors’ windows and hurled other anti-Asian slurs at the family.

Both the Ottawa Police Department and the city’s bylaw department are investigating, and the bylaw department is expected to issue fines against the tenants.

None of these allegations have been proven in court.

“Stressful” situation for everyone

On June 12, Ottawa police announced that their hate and bias unit was investigating the egg-throwing incident, which was captured on video and posted on social media, but this is not the first time authorities have been called to the property.

Amna Saeed, who lives in the neighborhood and is friends with the lead plaintiff, said she has personally witnessed other cases of hate from the other household.

“They open the windows and start shouting: ‘Asians, go back home, go back to your country!'” Saeed said.

“Their children have experienced this since they were two and four years old. The mere thought that someone could hurt you is very frightening.”

Saeed said the situation had become “stressful” for everyone in the neighborhood.

Another neighbor who lives a few houses away described the conflict as an ongoing “cycle.”

“The children cannot sleep at night because (their neighbours) play music at very high volume,” said Nish Yogasingam, adding that he has heard loud music coming from the house on several occasions.

In her brief statement to CBC, the woman who lives in the affected house said that despite several attempts to request help from the authorities, her family “has not received the necessary support to restore peace.”

“My children have been deprived of adequate sleep and a quiet environment, causing considerable suffering,” wrote the mother, who is currently traveling through South Korea.

Since January 2023, Ottawa’s bylaw department has received more than 90 complaints about loud music coming from the house next door. Bylaw chief Roger Chapman said some of the complaints were duplicate calls or received on the same day.

So far, code enforcement officials have issued three $490 fines and court summonses to the tenants and the property owner for serious noise violations. If convicted, the fine could rise to $100,000 per violation, Chapman said.

He added that the agency “encountered challenges in its investigations at this property as officers were unable to substantiate complaints in several cases and witness statements were not provided.”

Yogasingam said he believes that law enforcement officials who respond to complaints often “can’t really do anything” because tenants don’t open the door.

“There is no place for hate in our community”

It is unclear how the latest surveillance video made its way onto social media, but neighbors said the family whose home was attacked had shared the video with some people and community groups in the area.

An Instagram account with numerous followers finally posted the video last week, it was viewed thousands of times and sparked a lot of talk.

Barrhaven West councillor David Hill told CBC in an email that he has “contacted the appropriate authorities to ensure they are aware of the incident and are taking appropriate action.”

Hill also expressed his condolences to the affected family.

“I feel terrible for the family, especially the children who were subjected to this hateful behavior,” he wrote. “There is no place for hate in our community.”

Wilson Lo, district councillor for Barrhaven East, described the situation as “disturbing”.

The story has made headlines beyond the city’s borders, with several lawmakers speaking out on the larger issue of anti-Asian racism.

“As a parliamentarian of Korean descent … I am quite concerned that this will happen in Ottawa in 2024,” said Senator Yonah Martin of British Columbia.

“The fact that this family may have been harassed in this way for two years and this is only now coming to light makes it very important for us as a society, as a nation, to be clear that these incidents cannot be tolerated.”

Former British Columbia MP Nelly Shin also commented on the incident, noting that people from Ottawa’s Korean-Canadian community had reached out to her because of her own Korean heritage.

“The Asian community in Ottawa and across Canada is watching how authorities handle the Barrhaven incident to restore trust if it has been shattered,” Shin said. “Actions speak louder than words.”