A video of a woman being violently attacked at a train platform in downtown Calgary has gone viral, sparking widespread outrage.
In the video, a woman who appears to be of Indian descent, is seen being violently shaken and pushed against a transit shelter by a man on the platform as bystanders watch without intervening.
According to the Calgary Police Service (CPS), the suspect, identified as Braydon Joseph James French, 31, approached the woman, grabbed her water bottle, and splashed water on her face. He then forcefully shook her and demanded her cellphone before fleeing without taking anything.
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Witnesses helped police locate the suspect, leading to his arrest within 25 minutes in the East Village area. French has since been charged with one count of attempted robbery.
We are aware of a video circulating on social media that depicts an incident involving a woman standing on a downtown CTrain station platform.
— Calgary Police (@CalgaryPolice) March 24, 2025
On Sunday, March 23, 2025, at approx. 1:40 p.m., the victim was standing on the south side of the Third Street S.E. CTrain station,… pic.twitter.com/fOveisKZou
While police maintain that the attack does not appear to be racially motivated, concerns have been raised on social media regarding the safety of racial minorities in public spaces. The CPS has assured the public that community engagement efforts are underway.
“At this time, the incident is not believed to be racially motivated; however, our Diversity Resource Team is engaging with those in the community who are impacted by this incident,” Calgary Police said in a statement on X.
CPS District 1 Inspector Jason Bobrowich acknowledged community concerns, stating, “Thanks to the support of witnesses in the area and to the swift actions of our members, we were able to make an arrest within 25 minutes of this incident.”
“These types of incidents cause concern in the community and will not be tolerated in our city,” Bobrowich added.
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