Hate crimes unit investigates incident at Paramount Fine Foods, owner 'thankful' for community response

The owner of a Hamilton restaurant says he "can't be more thankful" to the community for the response he received after an incident that police say they are investigating as a hate crime.

In late November, Basil Al-Kubaisi said a woman entered his restaurant, Paramount Fine Foods, in Hamilton's Mountain neighbourhood. She shouted Islamophobic comments at staff and patrons, he told CBC Hamilton.

Hamilton Police Service's hate crimes unit is investigating the incident, spokesperson Jackie Penman said in an email. She said police have logged 10 incidences of hate directed at the Muslim community this year.

The incident was upsetting, but as word travelled, Al-Kubaisi said he's received support from local leaders, customers and community members who made him "feel proud."

Owner says woman ran in and shouted hateful things

The evening of Nov. 21 was typical at first, Al-Kubaisi said, with five or six families dining at Paramount. Suddenly, a woman rattled the doors and burst in, shouting.

She swore and yelled about Islam, calling Muslims terrorists and baby-killers, and insulted the Prophet Muhammad, Al-Kubaisi said.

"I didn't know what to do," he said, adding nothing like that had happened at the restaurant before.

Al-Kubaisi said he went over to the woman. "I told her, 'This is just a restaurant. I don't know why you are here."" 

He said she told him to go home, and that Muslims were ruining the country. Al-Kubaisi said he told her that people of many faiths and from places around the world work at the restaurant. The woman left but continued to flip him off and swear as she went, he said.

When he turned back toward the restaurant, Al-Kubaisi said one of the children eating there looked pale and scared. 

"I was embarrassed," he said. "I hope no one experiences what we felt." 

The woman was "super aggressive," Al-Kubaisi said, and he worries she might come back and hurt somebody. He said many workers at the restaurant are high-school or post-secondary students and most have said they no longer feel safe working at night. About 20 people work at the business and there were about five working at the time. He said he also worries customers won't feel safe.

Incident took place Nov. 21, police didn't start investigation until December

Al-Kubaisi called police when the woman left. They confirm officers responded. Al-Kubaisi said he shared security camera footage with them, noting the woman ran into the frame, and they did not capture a licence plate. 

He said he hadn't heard back from police when a customer suggested he reach out to Lyndon George, director of the Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre, which tracks community-reported hate crimes through the website WeSupportHamilton.ca.

After following up with police about the incident, the centre published a statement about the incident on Dec. 7. It drew attention over the weekend, including from Mayor Andrea Horwath, who posted on social media site X that "Hamiltonians deserve to feel accepted, valued, and safe, and to be able to enjoy their communities free from hate, racism, and discrimination." 

When Al-Kubaisi spoke to CBC Hamilton on Monday afternoon, he said he had just heard back from police. 

"Typically, such incidents are referred to our Hate Crime Unit for review; however, this step was not initially taken," Penman told CBC Hamilton. "The matter was subsequently brought to our attention by a community member on Friday. The Hate Crime Unit has since contacted the owner and is actively investigating the incident."

CBC Hamilton asked why the incident was not referred to that unit. Penman did not respond. 

Al-Kubaisi said he understands miscommunications happen. What he "can't understand" is why someone targeted Paramount in the first place. 

Paramount, which is part of a larger chain based in the Greater Toronto Area, tries to be a good neighbour, Al-Kubaisi said, noting it offers a discount to first-responders. "Why would you come and attack such a restaurant?," he said.

In recent months, Al-Kubaisi said, the restaurant would get about one hateful comment online per month, but never anything like this. 

The Paramount chain and its owner, Mohamad Fakih, have been subject to racist harassment before. 

Hamilton police typically release statistics on hate in the first quarter of the year. In April 2024, they reported 2023 saw a 26 per cent increase in hate crimes and incidents over the previous year. They define hate incidents as events that can't be proven to be hate-motivated, but include a "hateful overtone."

Members of the Jewish community were the most targeted group in the religious category with 44 occurrences in 2023, followed by members of the Muslim community, which was targeted in 15 occurrences.

On Sunday, several community members showed up at Paramount to support the restaurant. The rally was a "very, very, very nice thing," Al-Kubaisi said, adding he thinks it made staff feel more comfortable.

He's owned the restaurant for nine years. It opened in 2013. 

Local rabbi David Mivisair streamed some of the rally on social media. He shared a news release which stated that community members who attended condemned hate against racialized local businesses, "particularly Middle Eastern restaurants, and the Muslim and Arab communities."

"The rise in hate-motivated incidents is a growing concern, and robust action is necessary to ensure that Hamilton is a welcoming and inclusive city," the release said.