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Jay Phillips Fights Attackers in Racial Attack in Courtenay, BC

by tvtayber | July 9, 2009 at 12:50 pm

3082 views | 11 Recommendations | 2 comments

Three men have been charged with assault after a racially motivated attack on a black man in Courtenay BC was caught on video and posted to YouTube.

The video shows three white men attack a black man while shouting racial slurs. The black man, Jay Phillips, is beat to the ground by the three men but manages to get up and defend himself escaping with only a few stitches and some bruises.

They were yelling “ ‘we're gonna lynch you, we're gonna kill you, get out of our effing town.' I'd never seen these guys before in my life,” said Mr. Phillips, who describes himself as half-black and half-white.

“So I called back ‘eff you too.' They turned the truck around and got out and surrounded me with their fists up.”

“They were saying ‘this is a white town and you and your whole race aren't welcome here.' ”

Philips has encountered racial discrimination before:

He said he remembered being four years old in preschool and his teacher telling him to shut up, using a racial epithet.

“From that moment on, I was changed,” he said.

“My mother went and broke that teacher's nose.”

The video is chilling and raises questions about the facade of open multiculturalism that Canadians claim to embrace. How does something like this happen in Canada in broad daylight in the middle of the street?

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Wendy Hebert (not verified)

at 22:30 on July 10th, 2009

I am sitting at my computer and have just watched the clip involving Jay Phillips and am disgusted with three young white men. I would wonder if they are alone in their miserable feelings of hate or if their parents raised them by filling their heads with dangerous lies about how white people are in any way better than any person with a different skin colour. I was afraid and felt sick to my stomach while I watched three young cowards attack one young man. Unfortunately, these young men will be punished lightly and will probably not change their sad, twisted views. I can not put myself in Jay's place in any way, as I am also caucasian. I just know that any type of racism is wrong, unjust and does nothing but breed more hate and violence. I spent nine years living in the Courtenay area and must say that nothing in that whole time made me feel such shame as what I have seen today. Kudos to whoever caught the incident on video. To Jay - stay strong and know that not everyone with white skin is a racist.

Aimey Kerr (not verified)

at 14:33 on July 11th, 2009

I find this very disturbing. How can people be so cruel, especially on Vancouver Island when there is so many different cultures. Everyone is equal in every way, we are all human, we all breathe the same air. This made me feel sick to my stomach, and made me feel extremly upset on this kind of behavior. I hope that something happens to these 3 young guys and they will regret it. Karma will come back to them, one day they will be crying over something someone has done so cruel to them. My thoughts go out to you Jay Phillips, you were strong and keep your head held high, everyone should be treated equally in this world.