Vancouver police search for men who spat on and spray-painted Chinese consulate
- Police seek help to identify two suspects behind separate ‘disrespectful and intolerable acts’ against the consulate
- In one incident a man spat on the consulate’s name plate then obstructed an employee; 13 days later a different man sprayed graffiti on the front gates
Police in Vancouver, British Columbia, are investigating two acts of mischief against the city’s Chinese consulate general: one in which a man spat on the mission’s name plaque then obstructed an employee, and a second incident when a different man spray-painted graffiti on the front gate.
“These are such disrespectful and intolerable acts,” said Constable Tania Visintin of the Vancouver Police Department.
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Men who spat on and spray-painted Chinese consulate hunted by Vancouver police
The VPD released video and photographs of the incidents on Friday, as it sought help from the public to identify the culprits.
On March 22, police said, a man parked a dark Ford Escape in front of the consulate near Granville Street and West 16th Avenue.
“He approached the front gate and spat on the plaque dedicated to the Chinese consulate general. He then threw an unknown white substance from a take-out cup on the same plaque,” the VPD said in a statement. “The suspect then used a hammer to hit and attempt to pry the plaque off the wall.”
The man then turned his attention to an employee of the consulate who was driving out of the compound. “The suspect blocked them and spat on the vehicle while verbally berating the driver,” VPD said.
Video shows an elderly suspect waving two small signs, one of which says “Made in China Don’t Buy”.
The suspect then drove off. He was described as appearing to be in his 70s, with a thin build and white hair. He was wearing a dark jacket, dark pants, dark shoes and a dark baseball cap.
In the second incident, this one around 3am on April 4, video shows a different man walking up to the front gate of the consulate and spray painting graffiti on the gate and wall.
He then walked north on Granville Street.
The suspect was white with a heavy build, estimated to be 30 to 40 years old. He was wearing dark pants, a grey hooded sweatshirt with a black “Batman” logo on the chest and dark shoes.
Police said the two incidents were being investigated as mischief.
Anyone with information is asked to call VPD Property Crime detectives at 604-717-0613 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.
The Chinese embassy in Ottawa did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
