Vancouver residents appalled by news of Syrian refugees being pepper-sprayed on Kingsway

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      Vancouver is periodically highlighted in news reports around the world as a multicultural paradise.

      However, that reputation has taken a hit after an unknown assailant pepper-sprayed a group of Syrian refugees and others near the corner of Kingsway and Victoria Drive.

      It came shortly after an event at the Muslim Association of Canada Islamic Centre to welcome the refugees to the city.

      Vancouver police say that shortly after 10:30 p.m. on Friday (January 8), a man on a bicycle unleashed the attack.

      "A number of people were treated for exposure to the pepper-spray by paramedics and the Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services," the VPD said in a news release. "Police are searching for the man on the bicycle, believed to have been wearing a white hooded sweatshirt."

      Police say the investigation is continuing and the motive is not yet known.

      Both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson tweeted their disapproval of the attack.

      This news has also enraged many residents, who've taken to social media to condemn what happened. 

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