'Hate is here': Black rights advocate speaks out after alleged Aurora attack

The founder of the Aurora Black Community Association said political leaders need to pay more attention to “community safety,” after she said a woman spat in her face and yelled racist words outside her downtown Aurora business.

Phiona Durrant, owner of Coconut Village Spa near Yonge and Wellington streets, said while she doesn't like to relive the incident that happened on May 28, she feels it's important for the community to be aware of it.

“This kind of hate exists right here in Aurora, it’s not an isolated case,” Durrant said. “As someone who is deeply involved and engaged in the community, I wonder how many other stories are we not hearing?”

“We should be alarmed when such things happen in our city, whatever their nature, because we want to be able to send a signal to people that these things are not tolerable.”

Durrant was parking in a spot behind her business when a woman approached her and told her she was in the wrong spot. According to Durrant, the woman “immediately became angry” and began yelling and racially abusing her.

When Durrant called the property manager to try to resolve the situation by confirming she could use the parking space, she said the woman began yelling racist names again.

“At that point I realized it had nothing to do with parking, it was just hate,” she said. “It has to be hate, I can’t find any other words, because if you’re looking for a solution and the (property manager) is on the phone with you, you should at least want to listen to them.”

“This woman didn't want to care, she just continued to be violent,” she said.

Durrant said the woman then spat in his face.

Although the incident was shocking, Durrant said she thanked God for helping her keep her cool after the incident, as it would have been perceived differently if she herself had reacted.

“That would be you, the angry black woman, never forget that. It’s always us who have to control ourselves.”

Through her role with the Aurora Black Community Association, a group that aims to combat systemic racism in the community, residents have made her aware of racism in the community, she said. Recently, a father reached out to her for help after he said his teenage son was being racially abused at school.

Durrant said that while she was encouraged by the number of people who offered their support after the incident, she wants to see more attention paid to safety issues in Aurora.

“Never neglect. If one person is not safe, then none of us are.”

Hui Fan Chen, 54, of East Gwillimbury, is charged with one count of assault in connection with the incident, according to York Regional Police media officer Constable Kevin Nebrija.

“Our Hate Crimes Unit has been notified (and) the hate component of a crime is taken into consideration during the sentencing phase of a trial,” Nebrija added in a statement.