Several people were killed and multiple others injured after a driver plowed into a crowd at a street festival in Vancouver, Canada. The incident occurred in the city’s Sunset on Fraser neighborhood during the celebration of Lapu Lapu Day, a festival commemorating the Filipino anti-colonial leader, Lapu Lapu.
Vancouver Police confirmed the tragic event on X, stating that the driver responsible was in custody, and they were investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. The attack occurred shortly after 8:00 pm local time (0300 GMT Sunday), leaving the community in shock.
Lapu Lapu Day, which honors the indigenous chief who defeated Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521, is a significant cultural event for Vancouver’s Filipino community. This year’s festival was particularly poignant, as it took place just days before Canada’s election. The event, which included a parade, film screenings, dancing, and a concert featuring two members of the Black Eyed Peas, attracted large crowds, with many unaware of the impending tragedy.
Jen Idaba-Castaneto, a security guard at the festival, described the scene as chaotic, saying, “You don’t know who to help, here or there. It’s so shocking.” Emergency crews were quickly deployed, and images from the scene showed the scale of the disaster, with multiple victims on the ground and a stunned crowd in disbelief.
Vancouver’s Mayor Ken Sim expressed his condolences on X, offering his thoughts to the victims and the Filipino community during this difficult time. British Columbia Premier David Eby also voiced his shock and heartbreak over the incident.
This tragedy follows closely behind another horrific event last year when Nathaniel Veltman was sentenced to life imprisonment for running down a Muslim family in London, Ontario, in a case linked to white supremacy.
As Canadians prepare for Monday’s election, the country remains shaken by these tragic events, highlighting the need for solidarity and vigilance against hate-fueled violence.
