'Unacceptable and Racist': Muslims Slam Islamophobic Drawings Sent to Montreal Mosque
The NCCM says the images were received in the mail by the Islamic Centre of Quebec in Saint-Laurent on Tuesday.
“One of the greatest mosques that we have in Quebec and Montreal have received these pictures. It is absolutely unacceptable,” said Yasser Lahlou, the Quebec advocacy officer with the NCCM.
“Mosques are places of worship, places where people gather to pray together and to come together in difficult times. Especially in difficult times, actually… It’s very sad to see that it keeps happening day after day, year after year.”
In all three, the image of a mosque is in a circle and crossed out.
“The reaction of the community is very simple,” Lahlou said. “They feel threatened. When they see these types of images, it makes them feel that they’re not welcome. It is very sad and they want to see people, our leaders, speak out against these images and hateful attacks and actions.
“Everyone should speak out against these pictures.”
Lahlou feels the timing of the images being sent to a mosque is not coincidental, happening just days into the holy fasting month of Ramadan.
The sacred month, which sees those observing abstain from food and water from sunrise to sunset, marks a period of religious reflection, family get-togethers and giving across the Muslim world.
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“The community doesn’t feel very safe, especially in a month from Ramadan where peace is extremely important,” Lahlou said. “People come to the mosque to gather, to pray, to worship. So definitely the worshippers do not feel safe and it is very sad to see that happening during this month.
“It’s not the first time when you got this hatred crime during Ramadan. Last year the Al Omah Mosque has been targeted during Ramadan.”
This year’s Ramadan comes as the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip is intensifying in the Middle East. It’s raised fears the conflict may spark unrest far beyond the current borders of the war.
If the images are connected to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, Lahlou feels that’s “very racist and discriminatory.”
“People in Quebec, Muslims in Quebec have nothing to do with what’s happening thousands of miles away,” he said. “People just want to come to the mosque, they want to do their things, they want to pray, they want to worship together. And that’s it. It has nothing to do with what’s happening. They have nothing to do with what’s happening abroad thousands of miles away.”
Call for action
“Our community is tired of seeing these things happening, and I think that the government should put some actions to fight Islamophobia and spread awareness,” said Montrealer Maryam Laoufi. “We should spread awareness on Islamophobia, explain to people why Islamophobia is bad, what is Islamophobia, and just if someone has any questions about Muslim, he or she should feel free to ask because we’re not mean. We can answer and we’re actually good people. We just want to be safe in our city and we want to live in harmony.”
The NCCM says Montreal police are aware of the situation and “taking it very seriously.”
“They’re investigating the matter,” Lahlou told CityNews. “We’re expecting our elected officials and our leaders to speak out against this. But speaking out is not enough. Action needs to be taken. So we’re waiting to see action on this and how to protect the Muslim community in the future.
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“Action should be taken to prevent that from happening again and again and again.”
The borough of Saint-Laurent said in a press release that, “it would like to remind everyone that any act or speech of a hateful nature is unacceptable. Saint-Laurent will cooperate with the authorities investigating this incident and urges anyone with information to contact the Info-crime line at 514-393-1133.”
“On behalf of the Saint-Laurent council, I strongly condemn this deplorable incident, which runs totally counter to the climate in which we want to see our children grow up,” said Alan DeSousa, Mayor of Saint-Laurent.
Source: CityNews.ca
