A tragic scene unfolded in Vancouver Saturday night when a driver crashed into a crowd attending a Filipino cultural celebration, resulting in nine fatalities, city police confirmed on Sunday.
The incident took place during the Lapu Lapu Festival. Vancouver authorities announced the deaths via a post on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Jen Idaba-Castaneto, a security guard at the festival, described the aftermath as overwhelming, telling Vancouver Is Awesome that “there were bodies everywhere” and that it was difficult to decide whom to assist first.
British Columbia Premier David Eby shared his sorrow on social media, stating he was “shocked and heartbroken” by the tragic event.
Festival Meant for Joy Ends in Tragedy
The Lapu Lapu Festival had been organized to celebrate Filipino culture through a vibrant parade, film showings, dance performances, and a concert featuring two members of the Black Eyed Peas.
Jagmeet Singh, leader of the New Democratic Party, also expressed condolences, offering his support to the victims and Vancouver’s Filipino community through a message on X.
The celebration commemorates Lapu-Lapu, a revered indigenous chief in the Philippines, who in 1521 led his warriors to victory against Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan.
Shadows of Past Violence
The attack has drawn comparisons to a similar tragedy in 2021, when Canadian Nathaniel Veltman killed a Muslim family by driving into them in London, Ontario. That case became a landmark ruling in Canada, linking white supremacist ideology to terrorism for the first time.
Election Campaigns Affected
The timing of this horrific event comes just before Canada’s federal elections, with voters set to cast ballots on Monday after an intense campaign season focused on economic issues and U.S. tariffs under President Donald Trump.
Both Prime Minister Mark Carney and Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre had been making final appeals to voters this weekend. However, Carney suspended his campaign activities on Sunday out of respect for the tragedy.
Once trailing the Conservatives by more than 20 points earlier this year after Justin Trudeau’s resignation announcement, Carney’s Liberal Party has since gained momentum. Carney has centered much of his campaign on pledging to stand firm against U.S. economic pressures.
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