Outrage across Canada after hate-motivated crime In London, Ontario

BY PAUL JUNOR

The death of a Muslim family in London, Ontario is being called a targeted hate crime, and it has fuelled outrage across Canada.

The London Free Press reported in an article by Randy Richmond, that London’s Police Chief, “Believes this was an intentional act and furthermore, the victims of this horrific incident were targeted because of their Islamic faith.”

The National Council of Canadian Muslims observed that there have been over 300 incidents, which include over thirty acts of physical violence between 2015 and 2019. One of the worst attacks occurred on January 29^th, 2017 when six individuals were killed and nineteen with serious injuries in Quebec City at an Islamic Cultural Centre.

The Canadian Press reported that the deaths included: Salman Afzaal, 46, Madiha Salman, 44, Yumma Salman, 15 and their 74-year old grandmother. Talat Afzaal. Bilal Rahhal, Chairman of the London Muslim Mosque, told thousands of mourners who gathered outside the mosque, “We’re not going to let that intimidate us. This is our city and we’re not going anywhere.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was present at the outdoor vigil to provide support and comfort to the grieving family. He condemned this “Act of evil” and could not find words to describe how these innocent victims were murdered in their neighbourhood.” He observed that Islamophobia has been harmful to the Muslim-Canadian community over the years and that it is important to find a better way. He states, “When someone hurts any of us, when someone targets any parent or grandparent, we must all stand together and say no.”

Ontario Premier Doug Ford was also present at the vigil. Even though some individuals in the crowd booed him, he went ahead to make his statement, “We’re all shaken. It was mass murder. It was a hate crime. It was an act of terrorism.”

The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) sent a letter to its staff from Karen Falconer, Director of Education and Chair, Alexander Brown, with respect to this racist-motivated incident. It states “As we grieve with their loved ones and the whole Muslim community, we know that this attack may lead to students, staff and their families feeling unsafe and vulnerable. Please know that we are here to support you and that the TDSB is committed to confronting and interrupting Islamophobia and all forms of racism, hate and discrimination. While Islamophobia is a reality for many families within our communities, it has no place in the TDSB and should not be tolerated anywhere.”

The TDSB recommended the following community resources to families and staff:

• Arab Community Centre of Toronto (416) 231-7746
• Naseeha Youth Helpline -Mental Health ; https://naseeha.org  1(866) 627-3342.

In addition, the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF) Toronto sent out a memo which states, “On its own, this horrifying act is enough to remind us that we needed a reminder of the evil that can be perpetrated by individuals driven by hate, but heartbreakingly, it isn’t the only recent news of its kind.”