A male suspect wanted for an anti-Asian hate crime in the early months of the pandemic has been located and taken into police custody.

The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) reported today (April 27) that officers have arrested 47-year-old Yves Castonguay. He was wanted for writing “disturbing, racist remarks” on the windows of the Chinese Cultural Centre in Vancouver’s Chinatown on April 2, 2020. 

On March 30 of this year, he was charged with one count of public incitement of hatred and one count of mischief to property after a year-long investigation.

After he failed to show up for his court date, a B.C.–wide warrant was issued for his arrest.

He is next scheduled to appear in court on May 10.

Anti-Asian hate crimes have significantly increased across North American, including in Vancouver and Burnaby, during the pandemic.