A single black man fights three white attackers in Courtenay, B.C., in a video posted to the internet. (YouTube)

One man has been arrested and more arrests are expected, RCMP say, following a vicious assault in Courtenay, B.C., that police believe was racially motivated.

Jay Phillips was attacked Friday in the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant by three young men. A video of the incident posted on YouTube shows Phillips, 38, fighting back as he's surrounded by the trio. It's not known who shot the video or posted it on the website.

Phillips, who is black, said the attack was unprovoked.

He said a truckload of men drove by and started shouting racial epithets. "We're going to kill you, we're going to lynch you — really vile stuff."

Phillips said the three men, who appear to be in their early 20s, circled back and confronted him.

The men "got out of the truck, surrounded me, still calling me names, threatening me, threatening my family, saying this is our white town and you're not allowed here — stuff like that.

"Then they all came at me and surrounded me."

In a news release issued Monday, police said they are reviewing video evidence and questioning witnesses, but preliminary investigation indicates there may have been a racial element in the incident.

Phillips, who said he's the target of racism on almost a daily basis, said he felt compelled to report this incident to police.

"There's a lot of young kids of different races in this town and they may not have been as fortunate as me and I'd like to take care of these kids," he said.

"I think everyone should be allowed to walk down the street with their head held up and proud of who they are. Everybody."