The BC Conservatives have removed Joachim Agou as a candidate over newly unearthed social media posts.
He had been slated to run in Victoria-Beacon Hill.
When asked about social media posts made by BC Conservative candidate Joachim Agou, Leader Lorne Doerkson says he "would never support" such comments.
— Sitka Media (@sitkamedia) October 8, 2026
Doerkson removed Agou as a candidate moments after the presser concluded. pic.twitter.com/xISZYbc91F
Upon hearing about the posts for the first time during a press conference in Surrey, leader Lorne Doerkson said he "would never support" such comments, and that he "would be looking into them the second I leave this podium."
A short time later, Agou was out.
NEW — Lorne Doerkson has removed Joachim Agou as a BC Conservative candidate over racist comments he made on social media.
— Jarryd Jäger (@JarrydJaeger) October 8, 2026
Agou said, among other things, that a driver who plowed into pro-Palestinian protestors in Switzerland “should have reversed, too.”#bcpoli pic.twitter.com/B6d8jO5qAU
"There is no excuse for this," Doerkson wrote in a statement. I will not tolerate it."
Absolutely horrific racism from this Conservative candidate.
— Amna Shah (@amnashahbc) October 8, 2026
Attacking the Pakistani community as "a sh*thole," joking about killing protestors, celebrating white supremacist figures.
There's only one way for Lorne Doerkson to respond: fire this candidate immediately. pic.twitter.com/8pgMyniYLY
The posts in question were allegedly made by Agou on his personal X account, which has since been made private. He shared a meme of Trump referring to Pakistani communities as "shithole[s]," and suggested that a driver who rammed into a crowd of pro-Palestinian protestors in Switzerland "should have reversed too!!!"
Agou also praised a number of European politicians many have labelled far-right, including France's Marine Le Pen, and the Netherlands' Geert Wilders. The latter once argued that Islam was "the ideology of a retarded culture."
He addressed the comments in a post on Instagram later Thursday evening.
"I take responsibility for my words, and I am sorry to everyone I hurt," he said. "I am truly sorry! I categorically reject accusations of racism. My comment on the Lausanne protest video was not about anyone’s nationality or faith. I reacted emotionally to the chaos and blocked streets around a protest. That explains my reaction; it does not excuse it. Taken on their own, my words could be read as supporting violence. I should have expressed myself more clearly and calmly."
Agou went on to condemn all political violence and racism "in every form and against every community."
"I support the right to protest peacefully, but protest should not bring a city to a standstill or put lives at risk," he added. "Everyone has the right to express their views and to feel safe. Nothing justifies violence, whether against protesters or by protesters against others."
Agou argued that "some older reposts no longer reflect [his] views."
The BC Conservatives are now down to 92 candidates, putting them level with the BC NDP.
