How smartphones are helping Canadians confront racism

The videos were recordedat the grocery store, a ferry terminal and a Walmart.

Each one shows a white man shouting, sometimes swearing, at people of colour.

One man was reportedly called an "illegal alien" and pushed when he triedto escapethe encounter.Afamily wasberatedfor daring to ask a question "in my f--king province." Another man wasthreatened becausehe didn't "talk like a Canadian."

Each incident is different, but they all have something in common: they were documented in short, sometimes shaky smartphone videos, whichhave become a powerfultool for people to expose hate and validate their experiences with racism.

• 'I would kill your children': Policelooking at Walmart confrontation as possible hate crime
• Man charged after race-related confrontation in London grocery store

AmeilJoseph, the son of Guyanese immigrants, remembers the first time he was told to go back to his own country.

In the early 1990s, there was no smartphone to record the incident. Joseph, who now studies trends in racism and radicalization as an assistant professor at McMaster University,was in the second grade and riding through a fast-food drive-thruwith his fatherwhen someone shouted at them.

Back then, there was nothing he or his father could do.But today, with smartphones never far away, the outcome might have beendifferent.

Joseph said these recent cases showcase the power of this technology.

"People feel somewhat empowered by being able to record and put evidence out there," he said.

A 'regular' occurrence for some Canadians

Joseph was dismayed by the video ofa white man berating a coupleat a Stoney Creek Walmart for not talking "like a Canadian," before claiming "I'm racist as f--k" and stating, "I would kill your children first."

Josephsaid it made him shakehis head in sadness and anger. But he wasn't surprised.

People feel somewhat empowered by being able to record and put evidence out there.- AmeilJoseph, assistant professor McMasterUniversity

"I think some of these videos are capturing what some people are experiencing on a regular basis," he explained, noting a viral cellphone video showing a man hurling racist insults at a Muslim family in Toronto that was recordedjust days before.

In that case, Toronto policecharged Lombray Ball, 50, withtwo counts of assault and one count of threatening death, after investigators deemed that the incident was a hate-motivated crime.

• Toronto man who yelled racist insults at Muslim family now charged with assault, threatening death

Video of a separate incident shot at a Sobeys in London, Ont.,racked up more than 2.4 million views on Facebook earlier this month. It shows a man in a red shirt blocking a darker-skinned manfrom leaving the store.

On Tuesday, police in London announced the aggressor,Phillip McLaughlin, had been charged withassault, forcible confinement and causing a disturbance.

After Friday's parking lot confrontation in Stoney Creek, police in Hamilton chargedDale Robertson, 47, with threatening death. The service is now investigating the incident as a hate crime.

The power of video

Josephsaid that when recounting such an incidentwithout video evidence, people who are insulted or attacked can often be made to feel that whatever happened was their fault, or that they're exaggerating.

• Hamiltonpolice now investigating Walmart confrontation as a hate crime

Det. PaulCorriganwithHamilton'shate crime unitconfirmed police are continuing to usethe video of the Walmart confrontation as part of their investigation.

"The video is useful," he said Monday. "We're still looking at that."

WARNING: This video contains offensive language.

The Walmart video was posted to YouTube by PatrykLaszczuk, who said he's a coworker of one of the victims. He originally shared it as a way to help police find and charge the suspect. But hesaid that since the arrest, it's become much more.

"The point is not tomake it about specifically the people involved," he explained. "It's to show that this is an issue that's stilloccurring on a day-to-day basis."

If it's not shown then people don't see it for what it is.- PatrykLaszczuk

Laszczuksaid Canadians, especially those living in the Toronto area, can sometimes "turn a blind eye" to racism around them.

He said he was sent a "surprising number" ofmessages telling him to take it down, as some people believed he was supporting hate speech and promoting division.

Since sharing the video Friday,Laszczukhas been contacted by news organizations around the world, and said he's hoping it helps kick-start a conversation about racism in Canada.

"If it's not shown,then people don't see it for what it is," he added. "Wehaveto stop being ignorant to the situation. It's just as bad as it is in the States, and wehave to shut it down."

Posting videos such as thesehelp victims findcommunities of support, as well aspeople who are willing to confront racism, said Joseph.

That support is especially important in a social climate where the professor says some leaders in theUnited States, Canada and Europe seem to be supportinganti-immigrant messages.

"You feel that people feel more emboldened to be outright racist, and there seems to be a stoking of those fires both online and on social media, and nationally and internationally with governments as well."

Hate in Hamilton

Hamilton has consistently finished first or second when it comes to thehighest rate of police-reported hate crimes in the country.Last year, the servicelooked into 136 hate and bias incidents, an increase of 18.3 per cent compared to 2016.

Joseph described that jump as an "explosion."

It's easy to treat viral videos showing racism as one-offs, but Joseph said each incident shouldtrigger more thanmomentary outrage and risk beingforgotten untilthe next time someone spewing hate is caught on camera.

Instead, he said, they should signal just how prevalent racism is in Canada, and show officials that more support for initiatives to study and fight racism is needed from all levels of government.

"You see something like this that makes those fears a little more tangible. It can happenanywhere, it can happen at any time. Your kids are at risk, your families are at risk of overt acts of violence, even in a Walmart parking lot. Andthose things are terrifying."

What can you do if youwitness a racist confrontation?

Source:Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre

• Approach the person being victimized and start aconversation. Stay close to them and ask how you can support them. Stay with them until the person threatening them goes away.
• Avoid making eye contact with the attacker or engaging withthem.
• If the attacker does not back away,consider accompanying the person being targeted to a safer location and staying with them until they let you know that they are OK.
• If the person being targeted is at risk of danger, call 911. Your own safety should be your priority. Don't engage in a physical altercation.
• Try distracting the attacker by making noise and getting the attention of other bystanders and witnesses who may help.
• Record the incident and studythe attacker so you can identify them later. Don't share your recording of the incident on social media without getting consent from the victim.
• If you encounter a family member, friend, loved one or acquaintance speaking in a discriminatory way about others, speak up.