The man who tossed a soft drink on a homeless man in downtown Montreal has apologized in a video his friend posted on Facebook.
The incident was recorded in a video that was posted online over the weekend by a friend of the tosser.
The video shows two young men at a corner downtown.
One of the man talks to the camera in preparation for the assault and then throws his drink at a homeless man who was standing a few feet away.
Then, one of the two men yells at the homeless man to get a job.
Francis Gauthier issued an apology in a Facebook video on Monday afternoon.
In the apology video Gauthier says that the homeless man spit at his girlfriend which prompted his reaction.
Old Brewery Mission director Matthew Pearce said incidents like this one are indicative of the misconceptions people have about the homeless in the city.
Pearce said the man could have a mental illness or suffered a family tragedy and so it’s important to be respectful.
“He could have had a divorce and a collapse in his financial means. People who are on the street are in a state of humiliation all the time,” he said. “They are not proud of the situation and they need help, these are vulnerable people they need help to get out.”
Pearce approached Gauthier, asking him to do some volunteer work with the homeless.
In his apology, Gauthier said he has respect for the homeless and would do some volunteer work.
The police investigation into the incident is ongoing. Gauthier could face assault charges.
