BURST
ABC Vancouver city councillor Lenny Zhou admits he was wrong to post a Chinese-language video in which he claimed several non-ABC councillors are drug users and distributed drugs in the streets over Christmas.
Zhou issued a statement Tuesday afternoon apologizing for the video, which he said was posted to outline his opposition to supportive housing.
“In that video, I made remarks regarding other Vancouver city councillors. My comments were based on incorrect information, and for that I unequivocally apologize,” said Zhou in a joint statement issued by Zhou and ABC Mayor Ken Sim. “I am retracting my statement, and I’ve taken down the video.”
Zhou said he continues to support a pause on “net new supportive housing, and I do believe that there are significant issues around how many facilities operate.”
He said the councillors “have made it clear that they support the province’s model of supportive housing and the liberalization of drug use in our city. Those are positions that I fundamentally disagree with.”
That said, he said the video was a mistake. “I will continue to fight for Vancouverites, but in this case, I did not live up to the standards that I strive for.”
Sim thanked Zhou “for acknowledging his mistake and taking responsibility for sharing information that was not accurate.
“Councillor Zhou has always been a passionate advocate for Vancouver’s Chinese community. He works hard to ensure residents, especially seniors and families who rely on in-language updates, understand what’s happening at city hall and how it affects them.”
Earlier in the day, Pete Fry — joined by fellow opposition councillors Rebecca Bligh, Sean Orr and Lucy Maloney — issued a statement saying Zhou published the “inflammatory and harmful misinformation” on WeChat sometime last week.
At a press conference Tuesday, Fry said Zhou’s opposition to supportive housing has led him to characterize the facilities as “drug dens.”
“Zhou went on to suggest non-ABC councillors not only support drug use, but themselves are drug users and drug dealers, openly distributing drugs on the street at Christmas.”
Fry said Zhou’s post garnered over 1,000 approvals and 1,700 reposts before Zhou retracted it and removed it from social media.
Asked if he or the other councillors have dealt or used drugs, Fry offered a categorical denial.
“Nobody’s a drug dealer, I don’t think anybody’s a drug user,” said Fry. “Certainly not drug dealers and certainly not distributing drugs in public on Christmas.”
Fry said he was in Halifax over the holidays.
“As we’ve generally discussed amongst the four of us, we have no idea what he’s talking about,” said Fry. Fry said he doesn’t know where Zhou was coming from with the accusations, “other than he’s trying to whip up sentiment against supportive housing and, I think, trying to make the connection that the four of us are radicals and drug users and irresponsible.”
Fry called for Zhou’s censure for the “malicious and known falsehoods designed to injure his non-ABC council colleagues, specifically, publishing allegations portraying colleagues as ‘drug dealers’ to inflame sentiment in foreign‑language media.”
Fry said “Zhou has betrayed his office and the public trust, in particular for Chinese-speaking Vancouverites who might otherwise rely on him for accurate interpretations.”
He called for an “immediate impartial review and unequivocal censure.”
“It’s important to note that this is not a reflection on any community, but rather a reflection on Coun. Lenny Zhou,” said Fry.