Comments at pro-Palestinian demonstration lead to hate crime investigation [Video]

Vancouver police have arrested a woman as part of a hate crime investigation sparked by comments made last week at a pro-Palestinian demonstration outside the Vancouver Art Gallery.

In a statement, Sgt. Steve Addison said the Vancouver Police Department’s major crime department launched an investigation on April 26 after a video was posted on social media of the woman speaking to several hundred protestors from the steps of the gallery.

“The speaker praised the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel and referred to a number of terrorist organizations as heroes,” the police statement said.

“Portions of the video have been widely shared on social media, and viewed several hundred thousand times.”

Addison said the speaker — who the CBC has identified as 44-year-old Charlotte Kates of Vancouver — was arrested and later released from custody with a promise to return for a court date this fall. 

In the meantime, he …