Fishermen feared attack

Post by **Mr. T.** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 9:27 am

From The Ottawa Sun online,

http://www.ottawasun.com/News/National/ ... 7-sun.html

Fishermen feared attackMen armed with axes, baseball bats forced pals from bridge
By CP

TORONTO -- A man says a trip with some friends to a lucky fishing spot near a bridge in Eastern Ontario brought him face to face with a man wielding an axe, screaming at him to go home.

"It was like a tiger attacking a goat," Jinxin Wang said.

Wang, 47, had set off on a fishing trip last Friday night with two buddies.

Recent media reports about attacks on Asian fishermen did not deter them. Wang said he was unaware that York Region police had launched a hate-crime investigation last Thursday into four incidents near Lake Simcoe.

For two months, August and September, the crappie are plentiful in the rivers and streams of Ontario.

Wang took his friends to a spot near Westport, about 45 minutes north of Kingston, that yielded at least a dozen crappie two years ago.

They checked to see if there were any "no fishing" signs on the bridge.

When a white pickup truck slowed and a woman told the group to go away because it was not a fishing site, the party moved under the bridge.

Less than 10 minutes later, they said they heard someone swearing loudly and telling them, "No fishing, go home."

There were four men and two dogs, he said. They carried axes and baseball bats. Wang said one stepped up to him and swung the axe within a few centimetres of his face.

"If we didn't go, I knew we would be attacked," Wang said.

They returned to the car while the men made chopping noises while "swearing, shouting and yelling" at them.

While two of his friends wanted to call the police, a terrified Wang refused.

"I did not want to make trouble for myself," he said.

Post by **slop** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 9:38 am

Despicable......

Post by **bm_attar** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 10:57 am

Not calling the police was just dumb. Tolerating stupid and violent actions will just encourage people to do more of them.

Post by **Abraxus** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 11:27 am

Ohhh...you haven't even heard the half of it!

Read this!

http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/260646

You know, as a Canadian this absolutely disgusts me. I have lived from one end of Canada to the other. I have made St. Johns Nfld, Ottawa, Vancouver and Toronto my home at one time or another. I am proud to be a Canadian. I have often felt that what differs us from many other nations is our ability to accept other cultures and integrate them in to our own. Recently I was commenting on a current situation down in the southern part of the U.S. with my brother. In Louisiana there is presently a flaggrant display of racism and a disgusting abuse of power occurring in a small town known as Jena. In that paticular case 6 black high school students (The Jena 6) are being accused and tried for attempted murder after standing up to a group of white supremist teenagers who hung nuses from a tree that a group of African American kids sat under. To make a long story short, the incident spilled over. There was a fight and one of the white kids responsible for hanging the ropes from the tree got his butt kicked. He went hospital for a few minor scratches and what not and then released in time to make it to a house party that night. Well the 6 black teens who were responsible are presently being charged for attempted murder. One has already been convicted and faces a possible jail sentence of 22 years in prison!

Well anyways, as I was saying...I was having a conversation with my brother about the Lousiana ordeal and I made a remark somewhat to the effect of "Those freaking Americans" "What a bunch of Redneck Hicks" Well....my brother being the older and wiser of the family, quickly stated what is now obvious! That Canada is no innocent babe when it comes to racism. It is alive an well here in our own home!

Okay...so we don't have people running around in white bed sheets, and pointed pillow case over their heads......but "Nipper Tipping?" What the hell are the parents of our nation teaching their children?

This is absolutely unacceptable and paints us all with a negative stain. It isnt just ignorant, its inhuman! What kind of people raise human garbage like this?

AB
AB

Post by **thryb** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 11:50 am

wow how retarded is that ... just can't beleive it

Post by **bm_attar** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 11:59 am

Not to start a political rant in here, but just to answer your question about why kids in Canada are brought up with racism in them in some cases.

I live in Ottawa, and simply listening to a radio station like CFRA will show you how much hate to others some people have and try to promote.

Post by **soho** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 8:52 am

Before you get all up in arms about "racism" maybe you should check your facts and ask yourselves some questions! Did you know that the area where these "asian-canadians" were ILLEGALLY fishing is a fish sanctuary? No fishing signs are very visibly posted -- even if they didn't speak english its hard to mistake a "fish with a line through it" symbol. The locals in Westport are very proud of the area and of conservationalist efforts of the sanctuary to replenish fish stocks-- if a white angler was fishing there the same thing would have happened and they would have been run off.
You might also ask yourself... why are the asian fishermen travelling 3+ hours from home to fish in the dead of night? Why didn't the fishermen report the incident to the OPP right away? They waited until they got back to Toronto to make a complaint of assault. Perhaps a few bucket loads of illegally caught fish in the back of their van was a wee bit of a deterent! They must have been trying to fill their quota to their blackmarket fish boss!

Post by **ganman** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 12:23 pm

Yes before we jump to conclusions read this from the Kingston Whig.

http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.a ... chliesmann

Post by **Wallyboss** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 12:52 pm

I don't know why this was turned to a Racism issue!!! I am sure if the people fishing in the fish sanctuary would've been white, yellow or purple, they still would've been assaulted. Just because that these guys were asian-canadian some people are saying it's racism. People from around Westport are sick and tired of reporting illegal fishing and have taken the matters into there own hands. They have tried the MNR avenue but it isn't going anywhere. Sportfishing is a major tourist attraction for that area and people are trying to protect it.

Even here in Ottawa I know that about 18 years ago when I would catch walleyes icefishing I would go to (Back door) of a well-known all you can eat Buffet place and offer a couple of fish and they would let us eat at the buffet for free. I am sure that this practice hasn't changed. MY way of thinking about fishing has changed since I joined F-H but I am sure a lot of people are still doing it.

Post by **DropShotr** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 3:18 pm

Racism sells papers and ups your TV ratings. I'm suprised there wasn't a TV crew from CNN in Westport. I work with a lad from the area. I was told the story. It's about fish. Period.

If you want to get mad at someone get mad at the Ontario government for gutting the MNR.

DropShot'r

Post by **matcole** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 4:47 pm

So, because people fish in the wrong place, we kick the crap out of them? i have on several occasions met with this and just said you cannot fish there its illegal. The usually say they are sorry, because they are embarrassed that they got caught and leave. Its deplorable under any circumstance to fight someone let alone because they are fishing in the wrong place!

Post by **ganman** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 7:44 pm

How do you know they kicked the crap out of them. That's one side of the story from a source that has proved to be somewhat dubious. They admit to being told once there was no fishing allowed there plus there are signs. How many times were they really told? We know after being told told they stayed and hid under the bridge and continued to fish. Words weren't enough to make them move along the first time. Should they be suprised they got what they got then?

It is arrogant on their part they stayed and now others in their community who don't have a clue what really happened or worse don't even want to understand show up pointing fingers and asking for justice.....from the people of Kingston of all places. Perhaps they should learn first of all they're in Westport.

I was always taught when in someone elses home you treat it with respect.

Post by **birdman** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 11:46 pm

So do you think if it was me, a white guy, I would have been treated the same way? I don't think so. Could you not just tell the people they were fishing in a sanctuary rather than beat them up or swing axes at them?

I know alot of Chinese people who like to fish just like we "white guys" do. How many people go out fishing for walleye at night? Just because they were fishing at night doesn't mean they were commercial fishing or up to no good. I'm not sure where you pulled that from but it sounds like a generalization to me and not based on any reported facts.

Post by **DropShotr** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 5:20 am

Maybe birdman should go fishing at the sanctuary in Westport tonight and test that theory of his.

Post by **ganman** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 5:34 am

They were fishing in a sanctuary that is clearly marked.

They were told. More than once. There were two seperate incidents at both ends of the sanctuary that night. This issue goes back to last year also.

Read the Kingston Whig story. A member of the Westport outdoor club who has warned them in the past said he thought they were fishing commercially.

Commercially or not it is against the law.