[chinada]

Langley bouncer 'just charged me', Indo-Canadian man testifies at human rights tribunal

An Indo-Canadian man who claims he was denied entry by the Langley Shark Club because he’s brown-skinned was assaulted by a bouncer that night after he took the man’s picture.

Shark Club doorman Andrew Schmah was convicted in provincial court in May, 2012 of assault for the incident and sentenced to one year’s probation, according to court documents.

Serge Rai, 43, filed a complaint against the club, along with his friends, Manjinder and Manjit Gill, a married couple who each filed a complaint against the club, after they were refused entry on Dec. 9, 2011.

The complaints are being heard together by a B.C. human rights tribunal.

The three friends were among a group of five Indo-Canadians who arrived 15 minutes late for a reserved party.

Rai said that Schmah continued to admit other patrons, none of whom were visible minorities — and some of whom had no tickets, the complainants said — after he told them the club was sold out.

Rai said they continued to ask the doorman to be admitted and were denied the opportunity to speak with a manager.

When Rai asked Schmah his name, the bouncer gave him a false last name and smirked, he said.

Rai also told the tribunal he was standing about “15 feet” away from Schmah, who was working the door behind a velvet rope, when he took a photo of him with his cellphone.

“He came right at me,” said Rai. “He just charged at me.”

Schmah grabbed Rai in a headlock and flung him to the ground, and one of Rai’s shoes came off and ended up behind the velvet rope, Rai said.

Rai said he filed a human rights complaint complaint in February 2013 and received the Shark Club’s response to the complaint in its application to dismiss the complaint in May.

“It made me physically sick to my stomach at how many lies were told [by the club],” said Rai. “Their story was completely opposite of what happened that night and it was completely fabricated.”

Rai said the manager, who wasn’t at the door, said they were belligerent, drunk and uttering threats.

“You provoked Mr. Schmah [before the assault]” said Shark Club lawyer, Rob Toor.

“One hundred per cent no way,” said Rai.

“You took his picture without his consent?” asked Toor.

“Yes.”

Rai agreed he never heard any racial slurs that night or heard anyone say they were being refused admission because they were Indo-Canadian.

Source

Manjit Gill, left, and Serge Rai are shown outside a human rights tribunal hearing Tuesday.
Photograph by: wayne leidenfrost , The Province