Assault charge laid in south London, Ont. parking lot confrontation
A man has been charged with assault in connection with a confrontation in the south London Costco parking lot on Sunday, police confirm.
Officers were called in around 10:30 a.m. to investigate after an incident involving Dr. Rubina Tahir and her husband and 75-year-old father.
The family was waiting for a parking spot when a man emerged from another vehicle behind them.
Rubina told CTV News London on Monday, “The man proceeded to yell, ‘Go back to your country’ with obscenities," and then things escalated.
She said the man then approached their vehicle, "He was banging on the car window. He reached and pulled the wiper blade, continuously screaming, enraged. We were shocked. He then opened the passenger side door, grabbed my dad’s mask, and then he grabbed my dad and he wanted to fight.”
Police say the vehicle was not damaged and no one was injured in the altercation.
Rubina's brother, Nawaz Tahir, who is well-known in London's Muslim community, shared the story on Twitter, prompting an outpouring of support.
On Tuesday, he shared an update, tweeting that the family had been informed that a charge was being laid, and thanking everyone for their support.
Rubina echoed his sentiments, initally thanking those in the parking lot -- both staff and bystanders -- who intervened, and then thanking everyone for their support after the incident.
Police say they have charged a 57-year-old London, Ont. man with one count of assault.
He is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 16, 2022 in relation to the charges.
- With files from CTV News London's Bryan Bicknell and Gerry Dewan
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.