A man who was assaulted at a Pitt Meadows service station says he was the victim of a hate crime.
Abdullah Khan was filling his tank at the Centex gas station at the corner of Lougheed Highway and Harris Road at approximately 5:45 a.m. on June 17, when another patron of the business noticed the sticker on the back of Khan's vehicle that said "Free Palestine."
"Go back home," the stranger said to Khan.
Khan accused the man of hate speech, and said he would report him to police.
He was shocked by what happened next, as Khan said the man punched him, and threw him to the ground.
Khan had his phone in hand, and the man grabbed it and smashed it.
"It was a violent attack. It was a shocking attack," he said.
Khan was careful to get out of the way of his assailant's pickup as the man left the scene, but was able to get his Alberta licence plate number, and he called police.
Originally from Pakistan, he wants the assault to be taken seriously, because it appears to be motivated by hate. He said the other driver was a middle-aged Caucasian man, with a medium build.
"It was 100 per cent a hate crime," Khan told The News. "Regardless where you stand in this heated environment, there should be space for debate."
"It's my wife's car, so I'm glad it wasn't her in the wrong place at the wrong time," he said. "I would rather it be me than her."
He was left with a bloody ear and bruises. Police have asked him to get a medical report from a doctor as they investigate.
"There has to be room for tolerance," he said. "We're all Canadians."
"It should never get violent."
He believes police have video from the business.
Ridge Meadows RCMP confirmed that they responded to an assault.
"Officers arrived and spoke with the victim who advised he was assaulted by an unknown male," said a police statement. "The victim sustained minor injuries and emergency services was not required. Officers are in the early stages of the investigation and still determining the cause of the incident."
Khan is not considering removing the sticker that provoked his assailant.
"My sticker is my freedom of expression," he said. "If I see one that says 'I support Israel,' then I respect that."
He said he was grateful for the assistance of another Caucasian man, who did not witness the attack but offered him support. He saw where Khan's phone had been thrown, and helped him to retrieve it.
