Man charged with harassment after woman films alleged stalking

A man has been criminally charged for allegedly stalking a woman in downtown Vancouver last month, an incident she filmed on her phone.

Police said Mohammed Majidpour, 33, faces one count of criminal harassment. A statement Thursday said he has no fixed address and remains in custody.

Jamie Coutts, 26, posted a video to Instagram on March 17 in which she described being followed by a stranger for 40 minutes while she walked near Chinatown.

The video shows a man in a dark mask walking a few metres behind Coutts for several blocks until she approaches a group of people for help.

Coutts later contacted police.

WATCH | Jamie Coutts records as a stranger follows her:

Coutts, who is of Cree and Carrier descent, said the incident was an unfortunate reminder of the hundreds of missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada.

"This hit home for us," Coutts, who has six sisters, told CBC last month.

"Although it's a bit of a tough pill to swallow, it's a bit of a blessing in disguise because now people are paying attention to what's happening."

Further charges

The police statement Thursday said Majidpour has also been charged with several additional crimes in connection with other alleged offences downtown in the same week.

He faces a second count of criminal harassment in relation to an incident near Dunsmuir and Granville streets on March 13. He also faces one count of mischief and one count of break and enter for alleged incidents at a hotel on Burrard Street on March 14 and 16.

Police said Majidpour is also charged with assault with a weapon and uttering threats in connection with an alleged assault near Bute and Robson Streets on March 19.