Chinese senior faces 6 months in jail over racist graffiti in BC

In May 2021, a poster depicting a black model was defaced with racist graffiti in Richmond, BC. The suspect, 65-year-old Chao Wang, was subsequently charged with promoting hatred, and mischief under $5,000.

On September 1, Wang was sentenced to six months in jail and twelve months probation for his crimes. He was also forbidden from possessing paint, dye, or spray paint cans outside of his home.



According to the Richmond News, Wang had drawn a swastika over the poster, as well as a number of racist phrases written in Cantonese.

While handing down her sentence, Richmond provincial court Judge Bonnie Craig called Wang’s actions “disgusting,” adding that they were troubling given that he, too, was a member of a minority community that had faced increased hatred over the past few years.

During sentencing, she noted that she did not want to “impose punishment for the beliefs and opinions,” rather for the conduct itself.

“My sentence must make it very clear to him that if he continues to offend in this manner, his jail sentences will simply get higher and higher and higher,” Craig added, referring to Wang’s long history of espousing anti-black and south asian hate.

As the Richmond News reports, Wang had previously been convicted for defacing another poster depicting a black person, as well as assaulting an elderly black woman on a Vancouver bus. He had also allegedly defaced a Shen Yun Performing Arts event poster in Port Coquitlam, and uttered threats to the performers.

During court proceedings, Wang stated that while he was not aware of any mental health issues he might have, he would like to go to counseling, something Craig suggested would help “gain some insight into the harmful consequences of his behaviour.”