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Vancouver police investigate fight involving 10 people at English Bay

Vancouver police say they arrested a man in his 20s and three officers were hurt in an incident they describe as a large fight involving as many at 10 people at English Bay near the seawall on Friday June 18, 2021. (Jacy Schindel/CBC - image credit)
Vancouver police say they arrested a man in his 20s and three officers were hurt in an incident they describe as a large fight involving as many at 10 people at English Bay near the seawall on Friday June 18, 2021. (Jacy Schindel/CBC - image credit)

Vancouver police say they arrested a man in his 20s and three officers were hurt in an incident they describe as a large fight involving as many at 10 people at English Bay near the seawall on Friday night.

VPD beach patrol officers responded to the incident just before 7 p.m. after receiving 911 calls. They attempted to disperse the crowd but investigators say one person who they describe as an aggressor refused to leave the area.

Vancouver police spokesperson Sgt. Steve Addison said when officers spoke to the man, he became hostile, assaulted at least one VPD officer and resisted arrest.

"He became extremely hostile, confrontational with the officers, began swearing, yelling, screaming and causing a disturbance. So the officers placed him in handcuffs to arrest him for causing a disturbance," said Addison.

Addison said the suspect allegedly yelled racial and homophobic slurs at police.

Video of arrest posted to social media

A crowd gathered at English Bay and people recorded videos of the incident, which are circulating on social media platforms.

Video shows a young Black man struggling with police officers before he is taken down to the ground and arrested.

Vancouver police say the crowd became larger and more hostile so more police were called in to to help.

Investigators say three officers were hurt during the incident. One officer suffered a significant injury and was taken to hospital.

Addison noted there are a lot of unanswered questions, including what happened before police arrived, which may have involved an assault.

Police say the suspect, a North Vancouver man in his 20s, was arrested, taken to jail and then released.

Addison said the incident is under investigation and multiple charges could be recommended.

"We're investigating potential assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest and other offences that may have occurred. But what we have to do is we have to complete that investigation first so that's going to involve speaking with witnesses, people who saw what happened, collecting evidence that has since been posted online," said Addison.

He says investigators will be analyzing video and the investigation could take several weeks.