In a recent interview, Vancouver City Councillor Kerry Jang said he received personal threats this week, related to the city’s medical dispensary licensing program.
Jang said while he didn’t know where the threats were coming from, he had increased security as a result.
“I received a couple phone calls, one of which I picked up and the individual threatened me,” Jang said. “I’m not surprised. It’s not the first time.”
Vancouver Police Department Constable Brian Montague said, for privacy reasons, the VPD wouldn’t share details unless there were criminal charges related to the alleged threats filed.
The Canadian Association of Medical Cannabis Dispensaries released a statement saying that while they support member dispensaries not complying with city requests to shut down, they condemned threats to Jang.
“Any disagreements regarding the city bylaws must be handled through the proper channels and threats of violence are never the answer,” said CAMCD president Dieter MacPherson. “Members of CAMCD must adhere to the highest possible standards of conduct and be responsible community members.”
MacPherson said CAMCD confirmed that Jang had received the calls from what Jang described as a “fringe element.”
A poster on Facebook named Daron Rutter claimed to have been a witness to the call Jang was referring to and said there was no violence involved.
“No threats of any kind were issued, unless you consider threatening to show up at his office to ask him questions to be a problem,” Rutter wrote. “The caller was polite and said Kerry Jang has people to talk to and work to do, and should get to his office and deal with the people of his city who are upset.
“Kerry Jang sounded uncomfortable about being called out and said ‘oh, you’re threatening me!’ and hung up.”
Requests for comment from Jang were not returned.