A 20-year-old Vancouver man, who is accused of a hate crime attack on a gay man in Davie Village, looked calm during a brief appearance in community court yesterday.
Michael Kandola, 20, is scheduled to attend provincial court in Vancouver today, charged with aggravated assault — an indictable offence outside the scope of the newly opened community court.
Jennifer Breakspear, executive director of The Centre, a GLBT community organization in Davie Village, said the attack, which occurred in the heart of Vancouver’s queer neighbourhood, is a cause for concern.
“When something like this happens it strikes right at our core,” Breakspear said. “At the same time we don’t want to become alarmist and we don’t want to get scared off our streets.”
Kandola is accused of attacking a man, who was holding hands with another man, at 12:45 a.m. Saturday in the 900 block of Davie Street.
Jordan Smith, 27, was knocked to the ground and broke his jaw in three places.
Police said derogatory slurs were shouted and have called the assault a hate crime, which could result in a harsher sentence if Kandola is found guilty.
“Society is absolutely repulsed by this kind of crime,” said Vancouver Const. Tim Fanning. “It is a crime committed by people who are ignorant.”
