A matriarch of the CRAB Park encampment, Muskikiway Lynn Thompson, has been given an absolute discharge for an assault that occurred in Chinatown in 2022. The incident was initially reported as a hate crime by the Vancouver police department but Thompson denied this allegation. She pleaded guilty to one count of assault on April 19 and was sentenced on Friday in Downtown Community Court. Thompson explained that the assault stemmed from a parking dispute with a family of tourists who had parked in a way that blocked her from leaving her own parking spot outside the London Pub on Main at East Georgia Streets. The altercation escalated when a security guard intervened and Thompson kicked and spat on him.
The victim, who chose not to be identified by name, expressed that the security guard and staff at Unity One Security tried their best to de-escalate the situation and show support for the Asian family involved in the incident. The VPD conducted an investigation into the incident and classified it as a potential hate crime due to reports of racial slurs and aggressive behavior towards an Asian individual. However, Thompson, who identifies as Two-Spirit and is in a relationship with an Asian partner, denied that the assault was racially motivated. She claimed that she simply referred to the tourists as “Americans” because they were visiting from Washington state.
During the court proceedings, Thompson addressed the mistreatment she allegedly experienced in the holding cell after her arrest and the difficulty of having to walk home from the Downtown Eastside to Burnaby without shoes at 2 a.m. Thompson maintained her stance that the incident was not a hate crime and emphasized that she did not make any racial slurs during the altercation. Vancouver Provincial Court Judge Patricia Stark accepted a joint sentencing submission from the Crown and defense, determining that an absolute discharge was appropriate and not against the public interest. The judge recognized Thompson’s upbringing, struggles with addiction, trauma, and mistreatment, but also acknowledged her efforts to overcome these challenges and become a law-abiding member of the community.
Stark noted that the nature of the assault, particularly the act of spitting, was an aggravating factor in the case. Thompson mimicked spitting on the street outside the court, clarifying that she did not physically spit at the security guard but used it as a gesture to indicate that she wanted him to back off. Despite this, the judge granted Thompson an absolute discharge, meaning that she will not face any fine or sentence and will not have a criminal record as a result of the assault. Thompson expressed relief at the outcome but continued to maintain her innocence regarding the hate crime allegations. The case highlights the complexities of addressing racial tensions and assessing the motivations behind acts of violence in a diverse and multicultural society.
