“Racism is not on, we got to stamp it our, and we all have to do that together.”

That is the message from Premier John Horgan who says hate has no place in British Columbia, responding to reports of a rise in instances of racism in the province.

“We are a strong and vibrant community because of the diversity that is what makes up this great province, and I’m grateful to see citizens standing up to racism when they see it,” he said.

“We need to do that with increasingly regularity, making sure that love conquers hate, and that we can squish racism out of our community, once and for all.”

Horgan says government is also working together across party lines to come up with suggestions on how to better beef up its anti-racism plan.

“Its absolutely reprehensible that a business would be isolated because of the ethnicity of the people who operate it. It’s just not acceptable in British Columbia, and if those perpetrators are caught, they can expect the full force of the law to come down upon them,” he added, responding to an incident in Parksville, where a spa owned by a Korean couple was vandalized.

There have also been several reports of anti-Asian hate crimes in Vancouver.

Assistant Chief Howard Chow says 77 hate-associated police files have been opened since January – up from 51 over the same period in 2019. He says hateful graffiti on Chinatown landmarks – including the recent defacing of the lions on the Millennium Gate – is disturbing.

There are concern that the incidents are connected to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Chow says offenders should understand they will be exposed, investigated and arrested.

Horgan adds he is grateful that citizens are standing up to racism when they see it, and says we need to do that more often.

“The diversity of our communities is now being reflected in our public institutions, and there is zero tolerance for this type of behaviour in British Columbia,” he added.

– With files from The Canadian Press

Hate crimes have risen during the pandemic. People have been punched, pushed, spat on, and had racist slurs shouted at them. These actions are despicable, and Asian Canadians have bore the brunt of them.

Join me & fellow British Columbians in standing up against racism and hate. pic.twitter.com/pwbVrXA52c

— John Horgan (@jjhorgan) May 20, 2020