By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

local muslim community mourns

Vigil in Red Deer Friday for London terror attack victims

Jun 10, 2021 | 7:17 PM

Reaction continues to pour in from across Canada to the deaths of four Muslim family members Sunday in London, Ontario in what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called a terrorist attack.

Imam Muhammad Patel with the Red Deer Islamic Centre says their community is appalled and shocked at the attack that also left a young child critically injured and without a family.

“This is a grave matter that concerns the security and stability of Canadian Muslims; when a barbaric act of terror against innocent people is perpetrated, solely on the basis of their religious identity. This has no place anywhere in Canada,” Patel said in a Facebook post.

“We call on authorities to treat this crime as it should be; an act of terrorism, and commit resources to fighting the rising tide of Islamophobia, and we ask all Muslims to work on educating and raising awareness of the Islamic faith and our religious beliefs that are afforded the same freedom to practice, under the Charter of Rights.”

Patel said elected officials and law enforcement are strongly called upon to allocate resources towards recognizing and apprehending individuals and groups who, “bear an agenda of hate and intend to act on it.”

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The centre is hosting a vigil against hatred towards Muslims and others from 4-6 p.m. on Friday (June 11) at City Hall Park. Masks and physical distancing is required.

Haleema Natiq, a Muslim Red Deer resident and board member with Ubuntu-Mobilizing Central Alberta, says the vigil will help heal.

“In Red Deer and Alberta, there are generations of Muslims living here. My kids are growing up here and were born here. They should feel safe,” says Natiq, who noted that her sister recently moved from Red Deer to London.

“I used to feel safe and still do somewhat. Recently, I was walking nearby my house with my daughter who was in a stroller. For just a second, I had a thought about how that incident would’ve played out on my street. I had goosebumps.”

She adds while the incident is heartbreaking, exceptional love and support has been shown nationwide, and it’s not gone unappreciated.

Haleema Natiq and Angie Cuero, with Ubuntu-Mobilizing Central Alberta and Ubuntu Youth Council, spoke with rdnewsNOW via Zoom on Thursday.

“People may feel scared or insecure because of this, but it’s a temporary thing. We can help people overcome this crisis easily by just being empathetic. I have always been proud of being a Canadian and for the love and kindness Canadians share collectively.”

Natiq notes London has a large Muslim community and is very easy to fit in for minorities.

“In Alberta, we don’t have as much multiculturalism, but it is growing,” she says. “If something like this can happen there and people can feel unsafe, it’s totally normal for people to feel unsafe in Alberta too.”

In March 2017, the House of Commons passed a motion by a 201-97 vote stating at its core that the government condemns Islamophobia.

Natiq questions why politicians don’t realize they could help prevent Islamophobia by taking a stand before, rather than after, people are attacked.

Ubuntu Youth Council member Angie Cuero agrees, saying these tragic deaths were avoidable.

“I am feeling very frustrated, I’m in mourning, and I’m tired of continuously hearing of the hate people must endure because of who they are. It’s so preventable with education, but people don’t want to educate themselves and Canada doesn’t enforce it either,” she says.

“With Bill 21 in Quebec, they’ve banned religious headwear so you can’t wear a hijab or turban if you want to work in certain public settings. It’s absurd. We’re policing peoples’ bodies, and we are a country that states we are for religious freedom. As Canadians, we are clearly not safe practicing our religion even though it’s said we should be.”

Bill 21 passed in June 2019, and a Superior Court ruling this April upheld it based on the Government of Quebec invoking the Constitution’s notwithstanding clause. Bill 21 prohibits all religious symbols from being worn by people in the public service sector who hold positions of authority, such as teachers or police.

Trudeau, who’s repeatedly said he opposes the provincial bill, told media Tuesday that perhaps Quebecers’ views on the ban will change because of COVID mask-wearing.