Community Members Gather in Show of Support for Muslim Community in Canada’s Stittsville
It was an emotional rollercoaster at the SMA in Stittsville, part of the Canadian capital of Ottawa, Ontario, on Monday, with tears, frustration and glimmers of hope.
Dozens of community members gathered at their headquarters for a public meeting to address the recent racial slur spray-painted on one of SMA's buildings.
The shed-like structure behind their headquarters was targeted on the night of Aug. 26. Security camera footage shared by the SMA showed a person scrawling something on a wall, then hurrying away.
In photos taken the next day, the N-word could be seen on the side of the building, near where kids line their bikes and play basketball.
Amir Siddiqi, the SMA's president, said Monday that it's just the latest in a slew of Islamophobic incidents members in the community have faced.
Last week's vandalism was also one of several recent hateful acts being investigated by Ottawa police. Others have included the assault of a young Muslim woman on an OC Transpo bus and the stabbing of an elderly Jewish woman at a grocery store.
The objective of Monday's meeting, Siddiqi said, was to inform the wider public how often these acts occur and to call on all levels of government for solutions.
"We were so surprised that this room was full of people, and not only from our Muslim community," Siddiqi said.
"They came in and they talked to us and they said they [were] really appreciative of this event being occurring and they asked us when can we do it again."
Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, local MP Bruce Fanjoy and Stittsville Coun. Glen Gower all sat in the front row. All three echoed Siddiqi's sentiment.
"I think there's a lot of shock in the community, but also an outpouring of concern and support, so I'm really glad that we saw the broader community out here today," Gower said.
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"An event like today is a reminder that we can't be complacent. We need to continue speaking out against hate. We need to continue to look at any way that our communities or that our governments can make a difference."
'We cannot make decisions based on fear'
The SMA doesn't even have their name on their building's roadside sign, Siddiqi said, due to concerns about attracting "unintended consequences."
Instead, they have a small handwritten sign leaning near their door — something Sutcliffe says is unacceptable.
"We cannot make decisions based on fear. We cannot make decisions based on threats or intimidation. We have to move forward," Sutcliffe said in front of Monday's crowd.
"You belong in this community and you have every right to put your name on your building and be proud of it."
The mayor told Siddiqi he would work with the SMA to get their name up and that he would be there for the unveiling.
Sutcliffe also said he hopes to hold a symposium in Ottawa this fall to bring together community leaders from all different faiths to work toward a solution for everyone.
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For longtime resident Fariha Irshad, who also attended Monday's meeting, those sorts of positive steps need to be carried out.
"I have a lot of hope, but I'm not going to be saying that everything magically can happen," Irshad said. "We have to work very hard."
Source: cbc.ca
