The man linked to a string of vandalisms in Regina, Canada, including spray-painting racist graffiti on an Asian-owned donut store, has been charged with mischief.
The 46-year-old man was charged with five counts of mischief under 5,000 Canadian dollars (approximately $3,970) for the incidents that occurred in the Warehouse District and downtown Regina between November and December 2021, Regina Leader-Post reported.
One of the establishments targeted by the man was Country Corner Donuts in the Warehouse District. Its owner, Vuong Pham, claimed that the store was vandalized four times in 2021, CBC News reported.
Describing the attacks, Pham said a person threw rocks at one of the store’s windows. In another instance, someone allegedly fired a pellet gun at the store. During the last attack, which occurred on Nov. 29, 2021, someone spray-painted racist graffiti on the store’s windows.
The Regina Police Service, however, stated that due to a lack of evidence, the 46-year-old suspect has only been linked to one of the four acts of vandalism at Country Corner Donuts.
The store’s owner was reportedly relieved after someone told him that the man responsible for the racist graffiti, which included anti-Asian slurs, according to Leader Post, was charged before Christmas Day.
The store’s owner was reportedly relieved after someone told him that the man responsible for the racist graffiti, which included anti-Asian slurs, according to Leader Post, was charged before Christmas Day.
“After [the vandalization] I was concerned because I [didn’t] know what [would] happen to my business,” Pham said.
Pham, who moved to Regina from Vietnam in 1979, said the community rallied to show their support following the incidents, CTV News reported. Last month, Auto Electric Services Ltd. raised awareness in a Facebook post and called on the local community to help the store amid the attacks.
“Lately it seems that his business has been a target of graffiti, slurs and rocks being thrown through the windows. No one deserves this but especially this hard-working pillar in our community,” the company wrote in the Facebook post.
Pham opened his donut store – where he usually works for 12 hours every day – 10 years after moving to Canada. Every year, he reportedly only takes the day off on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
“In the year 2004, I went back to Vietnam for the first time and I’d say the last time,” he said. “We’re just so happy here and working here.”
Featured Image via CTV News
