Pepper-Spraying Attacks on Syrian Refugees, Including Children, in Vancouver

An unidentified man riding a bicycle attacked a group of Syrian refugee families gathered at the Muslim Association of Canada Center in Vancouver on Friday night.

The group of 30 people had just arrived in Canada from their war-torn country, and were attending a welcome night at the center, according to reporters.

Police are still searching for the man, who was reportedly wearing a white hoodie. Witness Ammar Ramadan described the scene to Canada’s CBC News:

“A guy at the front actually was, like, his eyes were completely covered, he couldn’t see for a whole, like, 20 minutes. Some kids got unconscious because of how strong it was ... A bunch of women and children, they were all just affected by it.”

Most of the families had just arrived in Canada from Syria, and marveling at the abysmal welcome they’ve received, much like that given to refugees entering another North American country.