Surrey Man Allegedly Punched North Vancouver Soccer Mom in the Face at Game

A Surrey man was arrested for allegedly punching a North Vancouver mom in the face when things got ugly at a soccer game.

West Vancouver police were called to the under-21 game between the West Vancouver Football Club and Surrey’s BC Tigers Saturday after parents began arguing on the sidelines, the North Shore News reports.

Speaking to the News, West Vancouver police spokesman Const. Jeff Palmer said a parent picked up the ball near the end of the game—a semi-final match—and was accused by a player of trying to “run the clock.”

“Obviously people were feeling that the game was important on some level,” Palmer said.

The beef escalated and according to Palmer, a “punch was thrown.”

A 45-year-old North Vancouver mom was punched in the jaw, Palmer said.

In an effort to prevent the alleged assailant from taking off, Palmer said other parents sat on the man’s car and surrounded it. Police took statements and arrested the 42-year-old man; they have recommended an assault charge, according to Global News.

Palmer said it’s still not 100 percent clear what went down, or if the punch was intended for the woman. He suggested getting worked up to the point of violence at a soccer game is unnecessary.

“Of all of the serious concerns that we need to address in the world today, we’d really hope we could have youth sports that don’t include this kind of conflict.”

The suspect, who has not been identified by police, has been released and is scheduled to appear in court next month.

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