On Thursday, an alleged hate-motivated attack was carried out at a mosque in Markham City, Ontario, resulting in the arrest of a 28-year-old male suspect. The suspect has been charged with hurling threats, assault with a weapon, and dangerous driving and is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Newmarket on Tuesday.
According to the Islamic Society of Markham (ISM), the suspect entered the mosque and tore a copy of the Holy Quran before hurling religious slurs at worshippers. He then left the mosque and attempted to strike or run over worshippers with his vehicle. However, the police statement released on Sunday did not mention the Quran tearing.
The incident occurred during the holy month of Ramadan when Muslims attend mosques for prayers. The attack has sparked condemnation from Canadian leaders and Muslim groups alike. Mary Ng, the Canadian Trade Minister and a local member of parliament, called the incident a hate crime and stated that such violent hate crimes had no place in Canadian society.
The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM), Canada’s largest Muslim advocacy organization, also expressed their distress in a tweet, describing the incident as a violent hate crime where an individual yelled slurs, tore up a Holy Qur’an, and attempted to run down worshippers in his vehicle. The NCCM is an independent, non-profit, non-partisan, grassroots human rights, civil liberties, and advocacy organization headquartered in Ottawa with offices in the Greater Toronto Area, Montreal, London, Edmonton, and Saskatoon.
The incident occurred as Canada nears the anniversary of the London Terror Attack, where a family in London was run down in an act of hatred. The attack serves as a reminder of the need to combat hate crimes and discrimination against religious and ethnic minorities in Canada and beyond.
In conclusion, the alleged hate-motivated attack at the mosque in Markham City is a reminder of the need to promote tolerance, respect, and understanding among different faiths and cultures. It is crucial to ensure that such incidents do not occur again, and the perpetrators are brought to justice.
