AN assault charge has been approved against a man who has been involved in several incidents in the Granville Street Pedestrian Zone in recent weeks.

At approximately 6 p.m. on Monday, officers patrolling the Granville Pedestrian Zone were approached by a woman who identified a man she said swung his fist in her direction.

As officers approached to speak with him, they observed him try to punch another woman. The suspect fled from police, and was arrested following a brief foot chase.

The man has been the subject of several complaints involving violence and confrontational behaviour in the Granville Pedestrian Zone, police said.