Calgary man charged after 'hate-motivated' attack targets woman on LRT

A Calgary man is facing numerous charges after what police call a "hate-motivated" racist attack targeting a South Asian woman riding the LRT in early September.

The woman was on a CTrain at about 8:30 p.m. on Sept. 2 when a couple boarded with a stroller at the Chinook Station, Calgary police said in a Wednesday news release.

One parent sat with the child while another stood nearby.

A man told the young woman to give up her seat for the parent who was standing.

"Despite the couple assuring the woman and man that they do not need the seat, the man's comments escalated to include racial and sexual slurs. The man then stood up and walked towards the young woman, but another passenger intervened and blocked him," police said.

• Muslim woman targeted in racist attack says call to police left her doubly traumatized
• Woman in hijab assaulted in 2nd 'hate-motivated' attack this month

Transit staff told the man to leave the train at the City Hall station. The young woman gave a statement to police further down the LRT line.

"This type of behaviour is completely unacceptable," Sgt. Gareth Joels said in the release.

"We want this young woman to know that Calgarians are not OK with what happened to her. It shows in the fact that people on the train intervened, and I hope it shows in all the investigative work we have done to try to hold the person responsible accountable."

• 2016 | Calgarian 'mad at ISIS' pleads guilty in spraying of racist LRT graffiti

Gary Francis Dawson, 63, of Calgary is facing a count of assault, criminal harassment, causing a disturbance and mischief.

Police said the incident is being treated as hate-motivated, which means it could be considered in sentencing if the person is found guilty.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Calgary police at 403-266-1234, referring to case #21345480/5124.