A video circulating on social media shows several security guards at a shopping mall in Surrey, British Columbia, physically pinning a teenage girl to the ground as she screamed in distress.

“It’s a young girl,” a passerby shouts as the first two security guards each hold one arm of the girl outside the entrance to Guildford town centre.

Through sobs, the young girl tells the person recording the video that she is only 16 years old.

Another video begins moments later and shows several other security guards attempting to restrain the girl.

“She’s a native girl and you lay your hands on her?” Manhandle her? the woman recording the incident shouts at the guards.

According to the teen’s family, a security guard initially accused her of shoplifting and asked to search her.

They say the girl consented and no stolen merchandise was found.

Her father, who CTV News is identifying only by his first name to protect the girl’s privacy, believes she was racially profiled because she is First Nations.

“Six, seven, eight of them grab her, hold her, put her down, put their knee on her,” Sino said. “What is this? They’re acting like she’s a big criminal or something.”

Bystander videos do not show what happened just before guards arrested the girl.

His father said she took out her phone to record the interaction and alleges a security guard slapped his hand, causing him to crash to the ground.

He admits his daughter then spat in the direction of the security guard – but claims the spit did not hit him.

Under the Criminal Code of Canada, spitting on someone is considered assault.

If the allegations against the security guard are true, his actions could also constitute a crime.

“Any type of action whereby a person applies unauthorized force to another person without their consent, including hitting their hand to remove a phone, could be considered assault,” said Sarah Leamon, a lawyer criminal lawyer based in Vancouver.

The security guards worked for Paladin Security.

“We are working transparently with Surrey Police on the events leading up to what is seen in the video and are conducting an internal investigation to ensure our team’s response meets our procedural expectations and training standards” , wrote Paladin Security President Chad Kalyk. a statement to CTV News.

The girl’s father believes the guards used excessive force and believes they should have tried to deescalate the situation rather than attempt to arrest his daughter.

He fears she will carry the trauma of the incident for a long time.

“On the way home, she was very upset,” Sino said. “She was crying. She was extremely angry.”

Surrey RCMP say the girl was initially arrested on suspicion of assault and then released into the custody of her guardians.

At this point, no charges have been recommended, but police say all aspects of the incident are still under investigation, including the actions of the security guards.