Montreal: Blood Drive Honors 2017 Mosque Attack Victims
The event pays tribute to the victims of the 2017 Quebec mosque attack and aims to foster greater awareness and solidarity within the community.
“It’s our duty to commemorate the victims who fell. Unfortunately, the assailant spilled their blood without any reason,” said Salam El-Mousawi, co-founder of Muslim Awareness Week, CTV News reported.
Reflecting on the tragedy, El-Mousawi recalled the fear and uncertainty that gripped the Muslim community after the attack. “The chief police officers [were] trying to calm us down to pass the message of everything [is] under control for the community because everyone was worried,” he explained.
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The terrorist attack, carried out on January 29, 2017, by Alexandre Bissonnette at the Centre culturel islamique du Québec in Quebec City, left six men dead and many others injured. “It wasn’t far from us here in Montreal,” said El-Mousawi. “Victims, they left behind 18 widows, kids, and family members. Some of them are now permanently paralyzed. So, this is part, a small part of our contribution.”
The blood drive, which continues through Friday, allows participants to book appointments online at any Héma-Québec branch in the greater Montreal area.
“Every 80 seconds someone here in Quebec needs blood, so it makes like we need around 10,000 donations per day,” said Faouzi Rezagu, a representative for the event. He added, “Each blood donation [...] helps to save three lives.”
This initiative is part of a broader series of events organized for Muslim Awareness Week, including seminars at McGill University and a commemorative event at City Hall.
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El-Mousawi described the week as a collaborative effort, involving “the three governmental levels, as well as all the organizations, media, institutions.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also participated in the week’s launch by meeting with the families of the six victims. Trudeau reportedly spoke with each family individually, offering support and solidarity.
Source: Agencies
