A YouTube video of a schoolyard fight has become part of a police probe involving hate crime investigators.
In the video of the April 8 incident, one male is seen fighting a 17-year-old black student in the schoolyard of Sutton District High School in Georgina, Ont. while onlookers film the attack and yell racial slurs including, “Pound that n------.”
At one point during the brawl, a voice off-camera is heard yelling, “You’re losing to the black kid,” and “F---ing get the n-----, get pounding.”
Four students, age 14, 15, 16, and 18, have all been charged with assault in connection with the incident, according to York Regional Police.
Police spokesperson Const. Andy Pattenden said he could not comment on the specifics of the evidence now that the case is before the courts, but said hate crime investigators were involved throughout the investigation.
Pattenden said that although hate-related charges cannot legally be laid against the youth, the Crown could decide to lay a hate crime charge against the 18-year-old student.
This is not the first time students at the school have been linked to racist behaviour.
In Feb. 2013, the school was forced to ban images of the confederate flag after students showed up at school wearing clothing that displayed the symbol.
York Region District School Board spokesperson Licinio Miguelo told CP24.com there have been a number of programs implemented to help create an inclusive environment since both the incident last year and the most recent one.
“The majority of students in the school are actually taking initiative to address some of these issues,” he said.
Some of the initiatives include a social justice committee, a peer mentoring group, and a partnership with York Regional Police’s diversity unit.
The school, Miguelo said, will conduct its own investigation into the alleged assault and present its findings to the school board, which will determine what disciplinary action, if any, should be taken.
